Syracuse Assistant Investigated For Molesting Ball Boy

On the heels of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal comes another bombshell. Longtime Syracuse basketball assistant Bernie Fine is at the center of a police investigation for molesting a ball boy for more than a dozen years in the 1980s.

Police stressed to Outside The Lines they are in the early stages of the investigation.



The alleged victim, Bobby Davis, now 39, told Outside the Lines that Fine molested him beginning in 1983 shortly before Davis entered the seventh grade. Davis, the team’s ball boy for six years beginning in 1984, said the abuse occurred at Fine’s home, at the Syracuse basketball facilities, and on road trips, including the 1987 Final Four.


In addition, a second man — a relative of Davis — told OTL that he was also molested by Fine around the same time as the first boy.

Davis reported the crimes to the police in 2003 but was told that the statute of limitations had run out. davis also said that it was possible that other boys were molested.

Davis said that Fine molested him at Fine’s home, at the basketball facilities at Syracuse, on recruiting road trips and even at the 1987 Final Four. Davis said he was Fine’s constant companion at all those places. He said that Boeheim would come into Fine’s room, and see Davis lying on the Fine’s bed, but never asked him any questions.



Davis said he was molested by Fine until he was around 27 years old. Through the years, he said he has felt bitter emotions over the molestation as sex scandals have emerged in the Catholic Church and lately with former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.


Davis said he reported the abuse to Syracuse police in 2003, but that a detective told him that the statute of limitations had run out. Davis said the detective told him that if he knew of boys being molested by Fine at the time, that Syracuse police would investigate those allegations. Davis said he told the detective that he thought other boys were being molested but that he had only direct knowledge of Fine molesting him.


At the time, the Syracuse police chief was Dennis Duval, a former Syracuse basketball player for Boeheim. Duval, who retired in 2004, could not be reached for comment. He played at Syracuse from 1971 to 1974, and started with the Syracuse Police Department in 1978.


Outside the Lines investigated Davis’s story in 2003 but decided not to run the story because there were no other victims who would talk, and no independent evidence to corroborate the boy’s story. In recent days, a second man contacted Outside the Lines with information alleging that Fine had also molested him. That man said he was inspired to finally talk after seeing news coverage of the Sandusky case.

This is just sick. This is slightly different from the Penn State case only because there is no evidence of a cover up.

Victims of these type of crimes need to speak up. It’s a shame that these men use their power and influence to prey on impressionable young children. I don’t care how long it’s been, if this is indeed true, Fine needs to be locked up immediately. You would’ve thought that Boeheim might’ve asked questions if he saw some kid laying on his bed.

Boeheim might not be as culpable as Joe Paterno, but he needs to ask questions if something looks amiss.

  

Sexting At Syracuse

I figure if your a coach in any sport, college or pro, men or women, you’re married and have a family. I suppose you also have morals and wouldn’t do anything to short change your family. Unless your Syracuse women’s basketball coach Quentin Hillsman, alledgedly.

Former Orange player Lynnae Lampkins has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Hillsman. Hillsman was accused with inappropiate touching and texting which made her feel uncomfortable. I guess that would make a young woman feel uncomfortable. I don’t know if this was the only player or to what extent this went to, but I feel that is something that could’ve been handled internally.

Lampkins told the USA Today that Hillsman would “slap butts and chest bump” and that “made her feel uncomfortable”. She also says that Hillsman sent her a text message over the summer that read “I love you, I miss you, I can’t wait to see you.”

Syracuse conducted an investigation and says they find no substance to the allegations so no action will be taken against Hillsman. It looks like Q-Hill will be sticking around for a while.

Hillsman released a statement from the school. “This allegation is untrue and hurtful to me and my family. I have coached hundreds of student-athletes and never faced an accusation such as this. Specifically, the student has expressed concerns regarding a text message and conduct by me that occurred on the court. I utilize text messaging to communicate with our players and staff and the text in question was sent to multiple players and reflects my sentiments about the team, not a specific player.”

If Hillsman wants to keep this from happening he shouldn’t put himself in any kind of position that may be questioned.