The decision not to charge former Syracuse University men’s basketball associate head coach Bernie Fine does not mean the allegations against him are false and does not vindicate him, attorney Gloria Allred said in a statement released Friday.

Allred represents Bobby Davis who, along with his stepbrother Mike Lang, accused Fine in November 2011 of sexually abusing them while they were ball boys at SU. The university fired Fine 11 days after the accusations.

Fine has denied all wrongdoing.

Many individuals in both state and federal law enforcement believe Davis’ accusations are credible, Allred said, including Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, who has stated publicly that he believes Davis and Lang but is unable to prosecute due to the statute of limitations.

Allred also reiterated that the Department of Justice’s decision not to charge Fine was only made due to insufficient evidence.

In its statement, the Department of Justice said that closing the case does not “constitute a determination of what did or did not happen.”

Allred also urged the New York Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign the Markey Bill, a bill that would change and lengthen the statute of limitations and provide more rights to victims of childhood sexual abuse.

“We are proud of our client Bobby Davis, for his courage in speaking out,” Allred said in the statement. “He has done so in the hope that it will empower other victims of child sexual abuse and protect children.”

Published on November 9, 2012 at 2:03 pm

Contact Jessica: jliannet@syr.edu | @JessicaIannetta