GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Attorneys for ex-MSU football staffer Curtis Blackwell, who is suing university officials over his firing, face possible sanctions after alleging former coach Mark Dantonio violated NCAA rules.

Sally Berens, a federal magistrate judge, gave Blackwell’s attorneys until Feb. 18 to show cause why they should not be sanctioned, or even removed from the case.

She said that “Plaintiff is ordered to show cause why he and his counsel should not be sanctioned as Defendants request - up to and including removal of both counsel of record and dismissal ... .”

Last week, she ordered Blackwell’s attorneys to pay $1,000 in fees and costs after finding they acted in “bad faith” following a court order.

The previous magistrate judge, Ellen Carmody, now retired, leveled a $10,000 sanction against one of Blackwell’s attorneys, Andrew Paterson Jr. He filed a witness deposition in court despite a stipulation it would not be made public.

Blackwell, a former Michigan State University recruiting director, sued Dantonio, former president Lou Anna Simon, former athletic director Mark Hollis and two university police detectives for wrongful termination and unlawful arrest.

Thomas Kienbaum, attorney for MSU officials, has said allegations that Dantonio committed recruiting violations were “false.”

He accused Blackwell’s attorneys, including Thomas Warnicke, of raising such allegations to embarrass Dantonio and others into a costly settlement. The allegations have no relevance, to the lawsuit, he said.

“Instead, it is – again – designed to generate publicity, a purpose which was accomplished when (Kienbaum) received a call from a reporter on January 30, indicating that he was working on a story about the allegations … ,” Kienbaum wrote.

“Further, given the continued, ongoing conduct by Blackwell and his counsel – unabated even though the Court has already sanctioned Blackwell’s counsel once and issued warnings against future misconduct – the court should also award significant sanctions …,” he wrote.

He asked that the lawsuit be dismissed, with a $25,000 sanction issued against Paterson.

Kienbaum said that Paterson filed an “obvious sham” motion about depositions to inject “the scurrilous and negative commentary about Dantonio and MSU ... into the public record, and obtaining media attention as a result.”

He called the allegations “gratuitous libel."

Dantonio, the program’s winningest coach, retired Feb. 4 after 13 seasons. He said the lawsuit had “zero” to do with his surprise decision.

“No relevance whatsoever.”

Blackwell contends that MSU could be in trouble for recruiting violations.

Paterson, Blackwell’s attorney, said that the defendants took part in a “smear” campaign against Blackwell because “MSU Defendants may have lied to the general public regarding certain controversies surrounding Defendant Dantonio and the MSU Football program, and as a result of Defendant Dantonio’s sworn testimony (in) this case, MSU may now be subjected to major NCAA sanctions for their apparent major NCAA violations.”

Blackwell, who runs Sound Mind Sound Body football camps, was hired in 2013. He was suspended in early 2017 after three football players - Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance Blackwell – were accused of sexual assault. Blackwell said he mentored the players, which was part of his job. The three later accepted a plea deal and received probation.

Blackwell was accused of interfering with the investigation. He was arrested but no charges were filed.

His month-to-month contract ended in May 2017 in what Dantonio called a “philosophical change.”

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