An ex-Yale student, Saifullah Khan, who was cleared of sex assault charges in 2018, is suing 15 women’s advocacy groups and a lawyer for defamation. The groups labeled him a “rapist” in a court brief filed in a 2022 proceeding, which Khan says damaged his reputation and caused him financial and emotional harm. The original draft brief remains posted on the Connecticut Judicial Branch website and was shared online by the advocacy groups and donors.
Khan’s attorney, Alex Taubes, stated that Khan seeks to address the harm caused by unjustly labeling individuals, especially when found not guilty. Despite being acquitted by a jury in 2018, Khan was expelled from Yale following a university investigation. He is currently pursuing legal action against Yale and his accuser in federal court.
In a related case, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 7-0 last year that Khan’s accuser could not benefit from immunity granted to witnesses in criminal proceedings due to the university’s proceedings offering fewer rights for the accused to defend themselves. This ruling could set a precedent in future lawsuits regarding the fairness of disciplinary procedures in universities.
The attorney who submitted the brief, Jennifer Becker, acknowledged the language used was excessive and has since been revised as instructed by the court. She claimed that her statements were believed to be supported by the record at the time of drafting, with no admonishment from the court for the language initially used.
Legal experts believe that the Connecticut Supreme Court’s ruling in Khan’s case may have implications for other student lawsuits involving allegations of sexual misconduct and challenges to the fairness of university disciplinary processes.
