PEORIA, AZ — Three young men are now taking legal action against the Peoria Unified School District related to allegations of sexualized hazing in the Liberty High School wrestling program.
Their notice of claim was filed this month. It's a precursor to a lawsuit.
The claim alleges members of Liberty's wrestling team "were subjected to sexual hazing, sexual harassment, and attempted and/or actual sexual assault by fellow members of the team."
Two former wrestlers are asking for an $8 million settlement. The other is asking for $4 million.
The lawyer for the wrestlers has asked that they not be identified. ABC15 does not name alleged victims of sexual misconduct without their permission. Other wrestlers who had criticized the culture and alleged hazing in the program said they were subjected to retaliation.
ABC15 has previously reported on former wrestlers' accounts that the sexual misconduct and hazing continued for years, and some parents have voiced concerns that prior allegations against Liberty wrestlers were not fully investigated.
Liberty has a powerhouse wrestling program, and the team frequently makes it to the state championships.
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Liberty's longtime head wrestling coach, Eric Brenton, is named in the legal claim. He is currently on administrative leave as both the school district and the Peoria Police Department investigate the hazing allegations.
The school district sent a message to Liberty wrestling families last week with an update on the investigations. District officials wrote, "We continue to conduct outreach to current and former wrestlers to request interviews, and this process takes time."
The message did not estimate when the investigation would be completed, but it did say, "We intend to review all available information and reach a fair and appropriate resolution consistent with district policy and law."
When ABC15 previously reached out to Brenton, he deferred comment about wrestling misconduct to a school district spokesperson. He previously denied.
You can reach ABC15 Senior Investigative Reporter Melissa Blasius by email at melissa.blasius@abc15.com or call 602-803-2506. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @MelissaBlasius or Facebook.
