Watch the full interview (
Mobile Video)
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Bobby Davis, who has accused former Syracuse University assistant coach Bernie Fine of molestation, talked about the case and his lawsuit against the university and head coach Jim Boeheim, in an interview Thursday, aired only on NewsChannel 9.
Bobby Davis and attorney Gloria Allred
announced Tuesday that Davis and his step-bother, Mike Lang, had filed a defamation lawsuit against the university and head coach Jim Boeheim.
In interviews shortly after the allegations were made public in November, Boehiem called Davis and Lang liars. He later
apologized for his statements.
Davis talked to NewsChannel 9 about how society responds to the type of allegations he made. "The first thing is to be called a liar and not to be believed, and that’s the worst fear as a victim."
"I want to live in a world someday, that when a kid comes forward, a sexual abuse victim comes forward, that they are believed," Davis also said.
Bernie Fine has denied the allegations against him. He was fired by the university last month. The U.S. attorney's office is investigating the allegations.
Also discussed was
the recording Davis says he made of a phone conversation with Bernie Fine's wife Laurie. It was made after a detective told him that the statute of limitations for his accusations had passed in 2002.
Davis then went to the Syracuse Post-Standard with his story. Davis told the paper he believed Laurie Fine had witnessed sexual abuse and he recorded the phone call and gave the paper a copy.
Davis told NewsChannel 9 that he did not get the original recording returned to him. "Once I was told that the local newspaper couldn't run the story, I never, ever got the original tape back."
"The person I was talking to asked 'What do you want me to do with my stuff,'" Davis added, "I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't get my story out there and be heard and I just said 'Give it back to my friend' and he did, and she has had all that ever since then."
Davis has thought a lot about what's happened since coming forward and what he hopes will happen now for others.
"I hope that someday we can be believed. And I know it's difficult to be called a liar and that's the worst fear as a victim," Davis continued.
After our interview, we asked Davis what he would say now to Bernie Fine.
He said, "I want him to get help, I want him to not do this anymore..that's my whole goal, I want him to get help so he understands what he did."
Davis was also asked if he believed Boeheim had any knowledge of the alleged abuse.
Boeheim has publicly said he did not know of any abuse. Davis did not accuse Boehiem of lying, but said, "All I know is that I was around the program for a long time. I was with Bernie constantly, in hotel rooms, on team buses… Boeheim had seen me everywhere."
Bobby Davis also said he believes there are other victims, though his attorney has denied the allegations. Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor has defended the University's investigation into Davis' claims.
