http://www.kansas.com/250/story/382551.html
Woman says WSU coach stalked her
BY PAUL SUELLENTROP AND DEB GRUVER
The Wichita Eagle
A Wichita woman is seeking a protection-from-stalking order against Wichita State University baseball coach Gene Stephenson, accusing him of harassing her, calling her and showing up at her home.
In a petition filed March 27 in Sedgwick County District Court, the woman said Stephenson, 62, "repeatedly harassed me by calling incessantly over the past year, showing up unannounced at my home, makes continuous advances toward me."
The woman wrote in her petition that she also has received calls from Stephenson's wife and a friend of his indicating "he is furious and upset w/me for telling his wife of his behavior."
Stephenson declined to comment on the matter.
Stephenson is represented by two Wichita lawyers in the case, but they did not return calls Wednesday.
The woman's lawyer, Jim Walker, had no comment. The woman also declined to comment.
A temporary order protecting her from the alleged stalking was granted March 27, records show. Stephenson was served with notice of the temporary order April 2 by a Sedgwick County sheriff's officer.
A hearing in the case is set for May 1.
WSU athletic director Eric Sexton said he is aware of the situation, although he did not know all the details and has not seen court documents. Sexton started work Wednesday as WSU's athletic director. He was hired on April 9 to replace Jim Schaus.
"I knew there were some personal issues that are going on with Coach Stephenson," Sexton said. "I view this as a personal matter at this point. I don't see it affecting the baseball program at this time."
The temporary order said Stephenson shall "not follow, harass, telephone, or otherwise communicate with the victim"; "not abuse, molest, or interfere with the privacy rights of the victim, wherever the victim might be"; and "not enter upon or in the victim's residence or the immediate vicinity thereof."
The order also said Stephenson could have no third-party contact with the woman and was not to come to her workplace.
The woman has asked for Stephenson -- WSU's baseball coach since 1978 -- to pay her legal fees and reimburse her for "any costs related to having to hide from the defendant." She says in her petition that she has missed work due to Stephenson's harassment.
The woman alleges the harassment occurred during 2007 and said in her petition she could produce phone records and witnesses.
About 1,000 petitions for protection from stalking are filed every year, said Ed Trusty, a court service officer II.
Here's how the process works:
Before a person can get a protection from stalking order, they must file a petition with family court services on the first floor of the Sedgwick County Courthouse.
Stalking is defined as "intentional harassment of another person that places the other person in reasonable fear for that person's safety." Harassment is defined as a "knowing and intentional course of conduct directed at a specific person that seriously alarms, annoys, torments or terrorizes the person and that serves no legitimate purpose."
The petitioner must claim at least two separate acts of stalking.
If a judge grants an order against someone and that order is violated, criminal charges could be filed by the city prosecutor or a district attorney, Trusty said.
Reach Paul Suellentrop at 316-269-6760 or
[email protected].