A judge has ruled against a well-known opera singer, David Daniels, who filed a lawsuit against the University of Michigan regarding his dismissal for alleged sexual misconduct. U.S. District Judge Sean Cox stated that Daniels did not file his lawsuit in a timely manner, leading to its dismissal on Monday.
Daniels, 58, joined the University of Michigan as a voice professor in 2015, achieving tenure in 2018 within the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. However, his tenure was cut short when he was terminated in 2020 following an investigation that revealed he had solicited at least three students and shared explicit video content with one of them, according to university officials.
In a separate legal matter, Daniels and his partner, Scott Walters, pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault in 2023 and were subsequently placed on probation in Texas. The allegations stemmed from an incident years prior, where a graduate student from Rice University claimed the couple had drugged and assaulted him after they met at a reception for the Houston Grand Opera.
Daniels asserted that his rights were infringed during the proceedings that led to his termination from the University of Michigan. However, the university countered these claims, emphasizing that Daniels had legal representation throughout the process. In its court submissions, the university described his decision to wait over three years to file a lawsuit as either “inexcusable neglect” or a “strategic decision.”
Francyne Stacey, representing Daniels, argued that the circumstances surrounding the criminal case in Texas warranted special consideration.
Additionally, Daniels initiated a lawsuit against one of the students who had accused him of misconduct. However, Judge Cox dismissed that case as well, citing that it was reliant on state law rather than federal law.
Daniels has an impressive performance history, having graced the stages of prestigious venues including the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the San Francisco Opera, reinforcing his prominent status in the world of opera.
