EAST LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Once celebrated for his strategic prowess on the football field, former Michigan State University head football coach Mel Tucker now appears to be employing a different kind of strategy – one that involves dodging legal proceedings with the agility of a seasoned quarterback evading a sack.
According to The State News, he’s pulled a vanishing act. Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor and advocate, has been attempting to serve Tucker with a defamation lawsuit. Despite her lawyer’s best efforts – sending certified letters to nine known addresses and even attempting service at an East Lansing home Tucker still owns – all attempts have been returned as undeliverable.
Court’s play: alternative service.
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In response to this elaborate game of legal hide-and-seek, Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Wanda Stokes has ordered alternative methods of service. These include mailing the suit to Tucker’s last known address, tacking it to his door, and publishing it in a local newspaper. Should Tucker continue his disappearing act, the court will rule in Tracy’s favor by default according to The State News.
Aware but unavailable.
Ironically, Tucker has acknowledged the lawsuit by attaching a copy of the complaint to his federal suit against MSU, in which he disputes his termination. Despite this acknowledgment, he remains elusive, avoiding direct engagement with the legal process.
With alternative service now approved, the case moves forward – whether Tucker shows up or not.
