William Paterson Pays $800K To Family Of Late Rape Victim

WAYNE, NJ — William Paterson University settled a lawsuit that claimed it violated Title IX and failed to investigate a report that a student was raped.

The lawsuit was filed in Newark federal court on behalf of Cherelle Locklear, a 21-year-old student who killed herself in a university dorm in November 2015. Locklear's mother filed the suit, NorthJersey.com reported.

"The legal matter that commenced after the tragic death of Cherelle Locklear has now been resolved by an agreement that is acceptable to all parties and with no admission of wrongdoing or liability by the university," said Marybeth Zeman, a university spokesperson. Zeman declined further comment.

Zeman did not disclose how much the settlement was, but the New Jersey Law Journal reported it was for $800,000.

The lawsuit claimed that Locklear was raped on Sept. 25, 2015 while attending an off-campus party in the Sigma Pi fraternity house, according to the journal's report.

She was raped by a former student and fraternity member, according to NorthJersey.com.

Locklear hung herself with a necktie in a dorm bathroom on Nov. 22, 2015, NJ.com reported.

The university's victim services coordinator violated the federal Title IX statute after failing to immediately report the assault to university police and investigate, NorthJersey.com reported. She did not report the rape to police until November, according to the suit, the report stated.

According to the suit, Locklear's attacker was never charged, NorthJersey.com reported.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com