FBI probing whether Rutgers assistant who leaked video 'first tried to extort university for $950,000'

The FBI is investigating a possible extortion plot behind a former Rutgers assistant responsible for leaking the video that led to the basketball coach's dismissal.


Eric Murdock, Mike Rice's former director of player development, sent a letter to the university in December demanding $950,000 while mentioning Rice's mistreatment to the athletes he had captured on video, the New York Times reports.


The letter, sent by Murdock's attorney, was received two weeks after Rice's suspension from three games for his abusive behavior.

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Spotlight: Eric Murdock, a former Rutgers assistant, has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit as the FBI probes whether he tried to extort the school for silence on the coach's abuse


When the university refused to pay Murdock the six-digit sum, the former NBA player publicized the video that led to Rice's firing on Wednesday, according to the Times.


On Friday Murdock filed a lawsuit against the university and several school officials claiming wrongful termination, specifically for being a whistle-blower in the case.




'Efforts to get Rutgers to address their problems were ignored for months,' Murdock said at a news conference in a banquet facility. 'Instead I was removed from my position. That is wrong and why I filed a lawsuit.'

Murdock said his lawyer wrote to the university about coach Rice's 'unlawful conduct' in July and gave the university video in November showing Rice pushing players, throwing basketballs at them and berating them with invectives, including gay slurs.



Evidence: Murdock sent a letter to the university in December demanding $950,000 while mentioning Coach Mike Rice's mistreatment to the athletes he had captured on video

'Despite having been in possession of such video footage, the university and its representatives inexplicably chose to ignore Defendant Rice's unlawful conduct,' the lawsuit said.


The public airing of the videos this week led to Rice's firing and the resignation of athletic director Tim Pernetti.

Raj Gadhok, Murdock attorney, said any attempt to paint Murdock as trying to cash in on the scandal is misguided.


'There's no extortion. It's not where we gave it to them and said, "Hey, give us this or we're doing this or that,"' Gadhok told USA Today on Thursday evening.


'Frankly, it was a response to their request for a settlement demand. There's nothing atypical about it. It's a settlement discussion to resolve the case.'


The university has defended itself saying they didn't renew Murdock’s contract for performance reasons, including leaving a basketball camp early without permission.


Fired: The dismissal of Rutgers Athletic Director Tim Pernetti is coming at 1pm on Friday following his decision not to immediately dismiss the basketball coach when he saw the tape


First time out: Basketball coach Mike Rice, seen here on Thursday in the driveway of his home, was fired on Wednesday just days after an old video of him screaming at players was released

The school, Rice, University Athletic Director Tim Pernetti, university President Robert L. Barchi and former President Richard L. McCormick were all named as defendants in the lawsuit.


On Friday Pernetti handed in a letter of resignation arguing that he initially wanted to fire the school's basketball coach last year after a video revealed that he was hitting and screaming at his players.


He claims that university officials were the ones that convinced him not to oust the coach.


Outside his home on Friday Pernetti's wife called her husband's resignation 'unfair.'


'Tim Pernetti was the best athletic director they'll ever have,' she told reporters.


The school's interim vice president was also fired on Friday as the two men were involved in a decision to 'rehabilitate' rather than fire coach Mike Rice whose abusive behavior was captured on a video.


University president Robert Barchi's job appeared to be safe after getting a public nod of support from the school's board of governors.










Under a microscope: Many have called for University president Robert Barchi, seen here Thursday night, to be fired as well due to his involvement but no announcement has been made regarding his professional future

The day began with a letter of resignation sent to Barchi by AD Tim Pernetti, who said he hoped his tenure at Rutgers 'will not be judged by this one incident.'


When he first saw the video of Coach Mike Rice pushing, shoving and throwing balls at players in November, Pernetti said he wanted to fire him on the spot.


However, he said the consensus among school officials at the time was that it didn't warrant dismissal.


The video, shown Tuesday on ESPN, prompted outrage not only on the Rutgers campus but nationwide.


It also includes obscenities and slurs, which the campus is especially sensitive because of the suicide by student Tyler Clementi, who jumped off a bridge days after his roommate used a webcam to see him kissing another man.


Admission: Tim Pernetti, pictured right with Rice, has admitted that his decision to suspend Rice in December - and not fire him - was the wrong move




Anger: In this clip, Rice, in white, is seen getting into the face of one of the Rutgers players





Rutgers coach Mike Rice filmed bullying players during practice

Watch the full video only on ESPN.

At a news conference Friday, Barchi said he first saw the video this week, but was aware it existed in late November. He said Pernetti gave him a summary of what was on it at the time.

PERNETTI'S FALL FROM GRACE



Pernetti's finest hour may have been when he helped in the school's move to the Big Ten Conference, which means millions in additional revenue by way of television contracts and more national exposure, especially in football.


The move, which becomes official in 2014, should provide a big boost to the program in recruiting and season ticket sales. The Scarlet Knights will continue to play next season in the Big East.


Pernetti's first major move as athletic director came in May 2010, when he hired the volatile Rice away from Robert Morris, which he took to two NCAA tournament appearances.


‘He convinced me he understood his reputation, but he also understood where the line was,’ Pernetti said, referring to Rice. ‘I made clear to him if he crossed the line he would be held accountable.’


Pernetti viewed Rice as the man who could turn the perennially underachieving program around.


It didn't happen. Rice went 44-51 in three years and posted a 16-38 mark in the Big East after going 73-31 in three seasons at Robert Morris.


The Scarlet Knights went 15-16 this season, including 5-13 in the league.

'This was a failure of process. I regret that I did not ask to see this video when Tim first told me of its existence,' Barchi said.

'I want to apologize to the entire Rutgers community for the negative impact that this situation has had on Rutgers.

'I also apologize to the LGBT community and all of us who share their values for the homophobic slurs shown on that video. I personally know how hurtful that language can be.'

Based on the information he received from Pernetti, Barchi said he 'agreed with and supported his recommendation to suspend, rather than fire, coach Rice at that time. It was not until Tuesday evening of this week, when I watched the video, that I had the opportunity to witness personally for the first time what Tim had seen last fall.

'I was deeply disturbed by the behavior that the video revealed, which was much more abusive and pervasive than I had understood it to be. As Tim acknowledged on Wednesday, his decision to rehabilitate, rather than fire, coach Rice was wrong.'

Pernetti was given the video by a former employee, Eric Murdock, and the decision was made in December to suspend Rice for three games, fine and dock him pay totaling $75,000 and order him to attend anger management classes.

The 42-year-old Pernetti is a Rutgers graduate who played tight end for the Scarlet Knights from 1989-93.

Also resigning Friday was John B. Wolf, Rutgers' interim senior vice president and general counsel, who is believed to have recommended against firing Rice in December.

On Thursday, assistant coach Jimmy Martelli resigned.






What did they know and when did they know it? Teachers, alumni, politicians and gay rights activists demand that Rutgers president Robert Barchi, left, and athletic director Tim Pernetti join Rice on the unemployment line




Outrage: Garden State Equality organized a demonstration near the school on Wednesday, questioning why Rice wasn't fired sooner


Speaking out: New Jersey Gov Chris Christie said in a series of Twitter posts that he supported Rutgers' decision to remove Rice

Barchi's position appears to be safe.

'At the end of the day, he has to run this place, day in and day out,' Ralph Izzo, chairman of the school's board of governors, said.

'And I think he is the right person to run this place for many years to come.

'Dr. Barchi was brought on here eight months ago with two primary objectives: No. 1 was to build a strategic plan for this university for 10 years, going forward, to lead us to academic success and academic greatness; and No. 2, an enormous challenge of integrating a medical school with this university.

'Being on the job two months, hearing from a general counsel and the athletic director that there was a serious problem, I think he did the right thing by acquiescing to that advice at the time.'

Governor Chris Christie issued a statement Friday calling Pernetti's resignation 'appropriate and necessary given the events of the past six months.




Rutgers athletic director resigns amidst university coach abuse...



Owed: Rutgers University will have to pay Mike Rice a $100,000 bonus for finishing last season, which was guaranteed in his contract


Slurs: In one portion of the video, Rice unloads a homophobic rant against one of his players, saying: 'You f***ing fairy! You're a f***ing f****t!'

'I commend President Barchi for his decisive leadership in coming to an agreement with Mr. Pernetti to have the Athletic Department of Rutgers University come under new leadership,' he said.

'This entire incident was regrettable and while it has damaged the reputation of our state University, we need to move forward now on a number of fronts which provide great opportunities for Rutgers' future.'

Pernetti said in his resignation letter to Barchi that he has 'spent a great deal of time reflecting on the events which led to today. As you know, my first instincts when I saw the videotape of Coach Rice's behavior was to fire him immediately.'

'However, Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel.

'Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal. I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved.'