Stevenson hazing victim sues ex-teammates, coaches

Nearly 10 years after Stevenson High School's usually sterling reputation was tarnished by a hazing scandal, a victim has sued several ex-teammates and coaches.

All four of the then-students who were convicted in the 1999 criminal case are named as defendants in the civil complaint, as are seven men identified as coaches.

The Lincolnshire school also is named as a defendant in plaintiff Stamatios Shinas' lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Cook County circuit court. Shinas is seeking more than $150,000 in damages.

Through an aide, Shinas' lawyer, Blake Horwitz, declined to comment Wednesday. Stevenson High spokesman Jim Conrey also declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Among the defendants are former Stevenson High varsity football players Blake Cooley, David Davis, Alexis Holden and Tiquion Clay. All four were arrested in August 1999 after authorities said they hazed four members of the sophomore football squad during summer practices at the school.

Police at the time said the athletes forced the victims to perform "atomic sit-ups," in which the younger players were tricked into touching the bare buttocks of the older players while blindfolded.

At the time, then-Superintendent Richard P. DuFour called the hazing "the most disappointing thing that has happened here at Stevenson since I have been here."

In response, the school changed its athletic policy to forbid hazing.

Cooley, Davis, Holden and Clay pleaded guilty to local disorderly conduct charges in March 2000. They were fined and placed on court supervision.

Shinas did not graduate from Stevenson High. He withdrew in 2001, less than a year before he would have graduated, Conrey said.

In his lawsuit, Shinas claims he was sexually assaulted three times during the football camp.

Six current or former coaches, including longtime head coach Bill Mitz, also are defendants in Shinas' lawsuit. In addition to Mitz, the other coaches being sued are Craig Sincora, Bob Mackey, Paul Swan, Mike Fitzgerald and Mike Warren.

The lawsuit claims the coaches should have been supervising and controlling students during the camp.

Another defendant, Lee Jonathan, is identified as a coach in the lawsuit, but Conrey said officials have no record of his service at Stevenson.

Sincora and Mackey since have retired from Stevenson High's staff but remain active with the football program. As for the other coaches named in the complaint, only Fitzgerald remains with the team.

The lawsuit claims Shinas suffered psychological and emotional injuries that have required medical care that is expected to continue.

Hazing: Lawsuit claims athlete was sexually assaulted