University Offers Scholarship, Says Sex Attack Was Not Issue

WASHINGTON —  George Washington University officials insist a scholarship offer to a 17-year-old student is not related to her sexual assault by a basketball player the college is recruiting.

“We want to emphasize that the university’s decision is based solely on the particular circumstances relating to this young woman’s academic potential and is in no way related to or contingent upon any other recruiting situation currently being pursued by the university,” Bob Chernak, the university’s vice president for student services, said Saturday in the Washington Post.

The girl, whose name has not been made public, agreed Thursday to drop an $11-million civil suit against Richie Parker, 19, a New York City basketball star and her former classmate, said her attorney, Michael S. Feldman.

The decision came after Parker, a 6-foot-5 guard, called her to apologize and agreed to share with her any basketball earnings or sign another financial deal if he doesn’t play professionally.

Parker pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of felony sexual abuse after the January, 1994, incident at Harlem’s Manhattan Center High School for Science and Mathematics. The girl was 15 at the time.

Parker was sentenced to five years of supervised probation.