Delaware law professor sues two students and Widener Law

Criminal law professor Larry Connell has added two law students and Widener University Law School to his defamation suit against Widener Law’s Dean Linda Ammons.

Connell charges students Jennifer Perez and Nadege Tandoh conspired with Dean Ammons to destroy his reputation and get him fired because of his conservative values. Connell alleges Perez and Tandoh fabricated more than 50 false statements accusing him of racism, sexism and violence.

“Today I have taken the matter of whether I am a racist, a sexist and a violent person out of the control of Widener, Ammons, and these student radicals who want me punished for expressing politically incorrect thoughts in an unabashedly liberal campus,” said Connell.

Connell, who taught at Widener Law for 26 years, claims Dean Ammons never confronted him with the accusations raised against him in May by Perez and Tandoh, or gave him a chance to defend himself until after he says Ammons had him thrown off campus in December 2010.

Widener Law issued this statement in response to the new lawsuit:

“This matter is in litigation in the Delaware courts. We believe that the plaintiff’s claims are without merit and the matter will be defended vigorously.”

Connell says a jury will decide the matter in Sussex County, Delaware, where he was a lawyer.

Wilmington attorneys Thomas and Stephen Neuberger represent Connell who, they say, is seeking both punitive and compensatory damages against all four parties named in the suit.