Washington Post
BATON ROUGE, La. — Jurors in Louisiana have decided that Grambling State broke its contract with football coach Melvin Spears Jr. when it fired him in late 2006, and owes him $460,500 — plus $130,000 for his attorneys.
The verdict was handed down Friday. The East Baton Rouge Parish jury rejected Spears’ claim that the university defamed him.
Spears told The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge it was great to be vindicated.
Spears guided Grambling to the Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005. He was named Alcorn State’s coach earlier this year.
Spears’ lead attorney, Wade Shows, says legal interest will add another $125,000 to the total. The award includes $11,000 in penalty wages and $449,500 for breach of contract.
Grambling attorney John Madison Jr. says the university will appeal.
