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Trustee: Campus police accusations ignored
Eddie Floyd explains actions
CommentsLongtime USC trustee Eddie Floyd claims university officials disregarded his concerns that campus police officers were targeting athletes and waited until Floyd’s comments were made public before acting on the matter.
Floyd, a prominent trustee who has served on the board since 1982, this week accused campus police of overstepping their duties with an overzealous approach in dealings with Gamecock athletes.
In a 426-word statement Floyd released to The State and in a subsequent interview Saturday, the 74-year-old surgeon from Florence said university officials brushed off allegations brought by a Columbia attorney and a former USC police officer.
Floyd said Neal Lourie, who has defended a number of USC athletes charged with crimes, and a SLED agent who formerly worked for the campus police force alerted Floyd and other trustees to the alleged conspiracy against athletes.
“I want people to know that I just didn’t pop off,” Floyd said in a phone interview. “There had been some serious investigation.”
Floyd said Lourie called him several months ago to discuss concerns that campus police were “targeting athletes and harassing students.”
Lourie said when representing students — athletes or otherwise — he noticed instances when USC police strayed beyond their jurisdiction.
“I have a problem with, and I’ve done cases when, our campus police go into private apartments off campus — and into Five Points — and bust kids for underage drinking,” Lourie said.
Lourie mentioned the SLED agent, whom neither Floyd nor Lourie would identify, to Floyd and fellow trustees Mark Buyck and Gene Warr and trustee-elect Egerton Burroughs.
“I wanted to make sure they were aware of certain things that were going on,” said Lourie, who would not discuss specific incidents with The State.
Floyd said he contacted the board office and suggested Lourie address the full board. Instead, several USC officials — police chief Ernie Ellis, board secretary Thomas Stepp, chief counsel Terry Parham and chief financial officer Rick Kelly — traveled to Florence to meet with Floyd and other trustees.
Floyd said he assumed the administration would contact Lourie and the SLED agent.
“However, very little was done,” Floyd said.
So Floyd contacted a “prominent federal judge,” whom he did not identify, and asked if he would investigate the matter. The possibility of an external investigation was relayed to university officials, who took no action, according to Floyd.
“By this time, it was apparent that this would go nowhere,” Floyd said in his statement. “I became very frustrated.”
Floyd vented his frustrations publicly, causing a stir among USC fans and — Floyd says — finally prompting USC officials to look into his claims. USC officials contacted the SLED agent the day after Floyd’s allegations were published, Floyd said.
Floyd also said Lourie and the SLED agent were prepared to discuss the issue with trustees at their Friday meeting, but the subject did not come up. Floyd said he has not spoken to any USC coaches about his claims.
New USC president Harris Pastides visited with campus police Thursday to show his support and ensure their morale had not been affected.
Mike Mungo, the longest-serving trustee in USC history, said this week he does not believe the Floyd’s allegations, calling them “a bunch of crap.”
USC spokesman Russ McKinney said the university does not take Floyd’s claims lightly.
“I think the university administration takes seriously any question that any board member, including Dr. Floyd, raises,” McKinney said. “The matter that he has raised is being addressed.”
Floyd, who has given millions of dollars to USC and donated the money for the Gamecocks’ football offices, said he did not intend to harm the university’s reputation.
“Even though everything I said was factual, I did not realize the impact this would have,” Floyd said. “I would never do or say anything that I thought would hurt my Carolina.”
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