Cerritos College
Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Calendar
TM Digital Newsletter

TM TikTok

Accusation of negligence makes its way towards Cerritos College by rape victim

Courtesy+of+LA+County+Sheriffs+Department+
Courtesy of LA County Sheriff’s Department

Cerritos college is looking at a impending lawsuit from a prior Cerritos College student due to accusations of negligence.

A rape victim, who was a female student has accused Cerritos College of failing to check the background of its former football player Kishawn Holmes.

The victim lacked the knowledge of his prior conviction in April 2014 when he pleaded guilty to forcible rape and alleges that the college should have been responsible of notifying her.

Holmes was convicted once again of forcible rape, but this time by a Los Angeles County jury on March 15, 2018.

The victim’s attorney, Allegra Rineer, has put forth names in the case concerning the accusation.

The names include Holmes, Cerritos Community College District and Dean of Student Services Elizabeth Miller.

Rineer named Miller as a defendant due to her duties to oversee admissions to Cerritos College.

Miller has declined to comment on the case “due to pending litigation.”

The news outlet that broke the story, Press Telegram, reached out to Cerritos College spokesperson Miya Walker, she responded by saying, “While the incident did not occur at the college, we take the well-being of our student’s conduct, and require sexual violence and harassment prevention training.”

When approached by Talon Marks, Walker responded by saying “I cannot comment on the facts of the case.”

Cerritos College went into an investigation on the accusation on Holmes and concluded that he “was responsible for ‘sexual harassment, failure to obtain affirmative consent and sexual assault in violation of Title IX and campus policy.”

The complaint made to Cerritos College by the victim in February of last year, reports that, “she learned that college personnel had been aware of Holmes’ criminal record after meeting with the college’s investigator,” according to the Press Telegram.

“She felt betrayed by the college and she felt that the college should have, at minimum warned her,” said Rineer.

The story went on to say that the victim requested special arrangements that “would have prevented her from being in contact with Holmes or having anything to do with with him while fulfilling her activities in schools athletic training program, according to the complaint.”

“Cerritos College denied her request,” according to the victim.

Due to the denial of the request, the victim says she quit her pursuit of studies at Cerritos College and has since enrolled in classes at another school.

Miller previouly stated in January “We can’t automatically let [the students with prior cases] go or take action against them just cause we learned they had a prior record.

“Because community colleges are open access we’re here to help students, even after they’ve had a negative past.

“It’s a challenge all community colleges deal with[…]

“Exceptions to that might be if there is someone who was a victim of the perpetrator on the campus, there we might explore based on the remedies that might be allowed under Title IX.”

Holmes may be facing up to an 18-year prison sentence.

Story continues below advertisement
About the Contributor
David Jenkins, Editor in Chief
   
Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Talon Marks Picks TM Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
Accusation of negligence makes its way towards Cerritos College by rape victim