A fourth degree assault on March 20 at Truman State University was reported to the Department of Public Safety last semester. Since then, the Title IX office has deemed that the case is not based on protective status.
Lauri Millot, institutional compliance officer and Title IX coordinator, said prior to the report being filed with DPS she had some contact with the situation and the person who had reported it provided her with additional information.
The additional information caused Millot to conclude that what DPS identified as an assault was not something that was based on protected status.
“What I mean by that is that assault in and of itself I don’t have any jurisdiction over on campus,” Millot said. “The only time I have jurisdiction in an assault situation is if it’s a sexual misconduct situation.”
Millot said because of that her investigation was closed. She has no jurisdiction over the case, no investigation or an open-case file.
The next step, Millot said, is to send out notices to the parties to indicate that the behavior that has been alleged is not based on protected status.
“Any investigation that the individual filed with DPS … still continues in the criminal court system,” Millot said. “That means that DPS does their investigation, they work in concert with Kirksville Police Department, and the case then goes to … the [Adair County] prosecuting attorney.”
Millot said the Adair County prosecuting attorney then makes the decision on if they are going to pursue charges or not. Millot said she doesn’t know what the outcome of that is at this point in time.
Before the Adair County prosecuting attorney has made a decision they do not release any information, Millot said.
“I have not heard it’s been dismissed nor have I heard if the PA had taken it nor have I heard specifically a grand jury had been convened to address it,” Millot said. “It would be one of those three things.”