Case 6:21-cv-00059-NKM-RSB Document 30 Filed 04/14/22 Page 1 of 5 Pageid#: 230
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
LYNCHBURG DIVISION
JANE DOE,
Plaintiff
v.
CIVIL ACTION NO. 6:21-CV-59
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, INC.,
and
CHARLES TIPPETT
Defendants
COUNTERCLAIM OF CHARLES TIPPETT
Defendant Charles Tippett (“Tippett”), by counsel, states the following as his
Counterclaim against plaintiff Jane Doe (“Doe”):
NATURE OF THE CASE
This is an action for defamation brought pursuant to Virginia substantive law in
order to redress Doe’s tortious conduct.
PARTIES
1. Tippett is a defendant in the Complaint (CIVIL ACTION NO. 6:21-CV-59)
filed in this Court by Doe.
2. Doe is the plaintiff in the aforesaid Complaint. Although she is proceeding
in the Complaint under the pseudonym “Jane Doe”, her true identity is known to all
parties. Tippett has filed a Motion to Dismiss the Complaint against him for Doe’s
violation of Rule 10(a) for her failure to proceed under her real name.
JURISDICTION
3. This Counterclaim states a claim that arises out of the transaction or
occurrence described in the Complaint. This Court consequently has jurisdiction of the
Counterclaim pursuant to Rule 13(a).
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THE CLAIM
4. On April 16, 2021, Doe filed a complaint with Liberty University (“LU”)
alleging that Tippett had raped her in an off-campus apartment on the “night before
Halloween”, 2020, which would have been the night of October 30-31, 2020.
5. On April 17, 2021, Doe gave a lengthy interview to an LU official providing
further details of her rape allegation against Tippett.
6. In the interview, Doe admitted, among other things:
• She had lied in a previous statement to LU about the allegations and wanted to
retract that statement;
• Tippett was one of her best friends;
• On the night in question, she was “feeling lonely” so she called Tippett and he
invited her to come over to his nearby apartment and “have a few drinks”. She
agreed, “grabbed my toothbrush” and went to his apartment with the expectation
of drinking alcohol and either taking an Uber home or spending the night at his
apartment.
• At his apartment, they began drinking alcoholic beverages and she voluntarily
drank three of those beverages.
• After awhile, they began kissing, and Tippett said at one point, “Wow, you’re so
drunk.” She recalled laughing at his comment.
• She recalled going into his bedroom and saying, “Oh, I’m in your room. It’s so
cool.”
• She recalls them having sexual intercourse.
• She feels that because she had been drinking, “I don’t think I was able to
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consent. That’s why I believe it’s rape.”
• She also said that while they were having sex, “I blame myself for it because I
should’ve said stop . . . .” She said further, “I don’t know if I ever consented.”
7. Subsequent to her complaint and statement to LU on April 16 and 17,
2021, Doe reaffirmed her rape allegation to other persons, including LU officials, on
multiple occasions.
8. Tippett graduated from LU in May, 2021. He then began full-time
employment with a company for whom he had done part-time work while an LU student.
9. The rape allegation was republished on or about November 26, 2021
when the HR Manager of Tippett’s employer read news accounts of the allegation after
Doe filed her Complaint.
10. As a direct consequence of Doe’s rape allegation, Tippett’s employer
immediately terminated his employment. It was his first full-time job after graduation
from LU, and ended his hopes for a long career with the company for which he had
worked while in college, in a field which was his career choice.
11. Doe’s allegation of rape is absolutely false and defamatory. She and
Tippett engaged in consensual sexual intercourse on the night in question.
12. Doe’s false accusation against Tippett of rape has caused Tippett and his
family to suffer extraordinary mental anguish.
13. After being fired from his first full-time job, Tippett began applying for other
jobs, but the fact that he has been falsely accused of rape has impeded his efforts to
find another job in the fields in which he would like to work.
14. Tippett has lost income as a result of the termination of his employment,
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which was a direct consequence of Doe’s false rape allegation.
15. Doe’s false rape allegation has harmed Tippett’s reputation in the
community and injured his good name. The allegation causes Tippett to have his name
forever associated in the public mind with an accusation that carries a significant social
stigma.
16. The false allegation of rape has prejudiced Tippett in his chosen
profession.
17. Doe willfully, intentionally and maliciously accused Tippett of rape with the
intent of causing damage to his reputation and other damages.
DEMAND FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Tippett demands judgment against Doe as follows:
(a) compensatory damages of $1,000,000.00;
(b) punitive damages of $350,000.00;
(c) interest on the damages award from April 16, 2021; and
(d) Tippett’s costs in this behalf expended.
JURY DEMAND
Tippett demands trial by jury.
CHARLES TIPPETT
__/s/ John E. Falcone____________
Counsel
John E. Falcone (Va. Bar #17879)
jfalcone@pldrlaw.com
Luke J. Malloy, III (VSB # 94877)
lmalloy@pldrlaw.com
PETTY, LIVINGSTON, DAWSON & RICHARDS
P.O. Box 1080
Lynchburg, VA 24505
Phone: 434-846-2768
Fax: 434-847-0141 counsel for Charles Tippett
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CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that on this 14th day of April, 2022 I electronically filed the
foregoing Counterclaim with the Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF system, which will
serve all other counsel via e-mail.
__/s/ John E. Falcone____________
Counsel for Charles Tippett
John E. Falcone (Va. Bar #17879)
PETTY, LIVINGSTON, DAWSON & RICHARDS
P.O. Box 1080
Lynchburg, VA 24505
Phone: 434-846-2768
Fax: 434-847-0141
jfalcone@pldrlaw.com
