Baldwin vs. Louisiana: Third Trial to Start Next Week
It's been seventeen years since Jerry Baldwin was fired as the head coach of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.
But there is still a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Baldwin that has not been settled.
That goes to trial for a third time next week in state court in Baton Rouge.
Baldwin was fired after the 2001 season. His record as a head coach was 6-27. He was dismissed with one year remaining on his four year contract.
Baldwin sued claiming, among other things, that his firing was racially motivated. In the first trial, in October of 2007, Baldwin was awarded over two million dollars in damages by a jury. That finding was quickly overturned by the First Circuit Court of Appeals. A new trial was ordered.
By the time the second trial happened nine years later, nearly all of Baldwin's claims, including breach of contract, had been thrown out, leaving only the racial discrimination claim. But a jury was unable to reach a nine vote majority verdict and a mistrial was declared.
Now the case will be heard a third time, but this time there will be no jury involved and the presiding judge will rule on the case.
The trial begins Monday and is expected to last 7-10 days.