Pepperdine filed its response on Nov. 5 to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Deputy Director of Public Safety Steve Moore.
Moore claims in the lawsuit that he was fired for speaking out on behalf of Amanda Knox an American student convicted of murder and serving a 26-year sentence in Italy.
Pepperdine’s denies Moore’s characterization of why he was fired but the answer filed in court is known as a “general denial and lacks specific facts. No public activity is expected until late spring, Pepperdine legal counsel said.
Moore said Pepperdine violated his right to political speach when it terminated his employment.
Pepperdine released the following as part of a prepared statement: The University supports and encourages the precepts of free speech and the University strongly disagrees with Mr. Moore’s characterization of his separation from Pepperdine.
“Pepperdine regrets and is saddened that it was compelled to take such action. Beyond that because this is a personnel matter the University is not at liberty to comment further.”
Moore said at first administrators asked him to stop speaking out because he was endangering students then because he was spending too much time on the case.
Moore maintains that his actions were on his own time and never endangered students.