When asked if he conducted rectal examinations on young athletes during a recent deposition, the former Indiana University basketball team doctor who is accused of sexually abusing players in the 1990s repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, according to the transcript of his testimony.
When questioned about whether then-coach Bob Knight instructed him to perform digital rectal exams on his players, Dr. Bradford Bomba Sr., who gave a video testimony on December 4, also repeatedly cited his Fifth Amendment rights. He did, however, respond to a number of inquiries on his overall responsibilities and hours spent working for the university.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Mario Garcia, who is overseeing a federal case brought in October by two former players, Charlie Miller and Haris Mujezinovic, against the university’s trustees, had ordered Bomba, 88, to take a deposition. Bomba and Knight, who passed away last year at the age of 83, are not named as defendants.
They allege that Bomba sexually molested them and their teammates on multiple occasions while posing as physical tests, and that the school knew about it but did nothing to stop him.
Bomba initially cited the Fifth Amendment when he refused to answer, via his attorney, whether he had ever examined a player physically outside of the university.
The now-retired physician also refused to respond to inquiries regarding whether he had ever told anyone about student athlete abuse or whether he was aware of Title IX.
Under Title IX, a federal law requiring all colleges receiving federal funds to implement measures to protect students from sexual predators, Mujezinovic and Miller are suing the IU trustees.
During the deposition, Bomba did testify that IU gave him a questionnaire to fill out and that he recorded the steps he took on those forms, which were then sent back to the university. Under interrogation, he also acknowledged that he and Knight had been close friends.
Mujezinovic and Miller’s attorney, Kathleen Delaney, stated in the lawsuit that there may be as many as 100 alleged victims. On Friday, she refrained from commenting immediately on the deposition, which Bomba’s guardians had tried in vain to postpone by arguing he was incapable of testifying.
Mujezinovic, who saw the deposition on video, said in a statement initially published by The Herald Times, “I’m happy that the Court required Dr. Bomba, Sr. to testify.” He made no attempt to use medical treatment as an excuse for what he did to me and other people. Although I found it difficult to watch him testify, it was a crucial step in the fight for justice.
Miller stated in his statement, “This is significant evidence proving that the University knew what was happening and did nothing to protect us from what I now understand to be sexual abuse.” He also watched the video of the deposition.
Three attorneys from the Indianapolis-based Barnes & Thornburg law firm, which represents Indiana University, were watching the deposition but did not ask any questions, according to the transcript that NBC News was able to get.
According to the transcript, IU’s in-house attorney, Anthony Prather, also saw the deposition.
According to the lawsuit, Bomba was employed by Indiana University to provide medical care for all of its sports teams from 1962 to 1970. From 1979 until the late 1990s, he served as the team’s doctor for basketball.
In the case, Mujezinovic and Miller claimed that Bomba frequently and repeatedly performed abusive, intrusive, and medically unwarranted digital rectal examinations on them.
According to the lawsuit, Bomba was known as Frankenstein by coaches and teammates because of the size of his hands and fingers while playing football for Indiana University.
The lawsuit claims that the Hoosier men’s basketball players freely discussed Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s frequent sexual assaults in the locker room while IU staff members, such as assistant coaches, athletic trainers, and other Hoosier men’s basketball staff, were there.
Miller, who played for the Hoosiers from 1994 to 1998, and Mujezinovic, who played for Indiana for two seasons from 1995 to 1997, are requesting undisclosed damages. Former teammates have also been urged to come forward and join their case.
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