Student Sues Montana University Over ‘Negligent’ Sex Offender Hire

A former student is suing Montana State University for hiring a convicted sex offender as a music professor, saying the school’s negligence allowed Shuichi Komiyama to manipulate and rape her.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported that the judge has not yet ruled on the student’s request for a partial summary ruling in her favor. No trial date has been set.

MSU argues that the student willingly consented to a sexual relationship, suffered no emotional distress and that her own negligence should reduce or eliminate any damages. The university also says it had no way of knowing that Komiyama might assault a student.

Legal briefs show that MSU paid the former student $75,000 to settle a sexual harassment claim brought before the Montana Human Rights Bureau.