Karen Gosche Sexual Harassment Testimony

This website provides some facts behind newspaper articles from 2003 regarding reports of allegations of sexual harassment by Dr. Michael Mullan whilst employed by the University of South Florida in Tampa. Local newspapers reported "allegations of harassment of three women".

Fact 1: The university's investigation was triggered by Dr. Robert Daugherty, then Dean of the School of Medicine.
Fact 2: Mullan had been an outspoken critic of the university for several years and prior to his departure in 2003 was negotiating a deal with USF to leave the University, taking equipment, grants and research resources including patents with him. He also had meetings with Johnnie Byrd in 2002, the Speaker of the House of the Florida State Legislature and had advised Byrd not to allow funds for a planned Alzheimer's research center to be handled by the University directly as he (Mullan) predicted that if it was, a larger percentage would go to administrative overheads and less to research. One of these meetings included USF's lobbyist in Tallahassee (Kathy Betancourt) reporting to the Dean.
Fact 3: Daugherty was displeased with Mullan's opinions and interactions and advice to Byrd (see example email below) and initiated an investigation against Mullan.
Fact 4: Daugherty subsequently tried to re-ingratiate the University with Byrd by illegally raising campaign funds and was forced to resign as a consequence.
Fact 5: The University named three women in the "determination letter" regarding the investigation; Karen Gosche, Shuah Roskies and Melissa Freeman. The letter claimed "no cause" i.e. no violation of the University's policies in relation to Shuah Roskies or Melissa Freeman**.
Fact 6: The University's determination letter claimed no violation of the University's policies with respect to Mullan's behavior and conduct "during the regular working day".
Fact 7: The letter claimed that Mullan did violate the University's policy towards Karen Gosche regarding a six-year old complaint which had been investigated in 1997 and dismissed by the University. Her allegation, was that in 1997 Mullan shouted at her in a car. She did not file any complaint against Mullan, but it was investigated in 1997/8 by the Dept of Equal Opportunity. Mullan had no contact with Gosche after 1997.
Fact 8: Mullan subsequently sued Gosche, in 2003, for defamatory comments she made in a newspaper. During this lawsuit Gosche, under oath, denied ever claiming sexual harassment, or there having been any sexual component to her complaint regarding Mullan (see videos below).
Fact 9: None of the three women or any other women filed complaints against Mullan claiming they had been harassed sexually or any other way.
Fact 10: No one filed any complaints against Mullan suggesting they had personally been harassed in any way during his employment at the University.
Fact 11: However, a complaint of sexual harassment was filed on behalf of Shuah Roskies with regard to complaints regarding Dr. Tony Reading, then Chair of the Department of Psychiatry. These complaints were dismissed by the Department of Equal Opportunity. Dr. Reading went on to sexually assault three patients pleading "no contest" in the subsequent criminal case.

Summary, Mullan was outspoken against the University's Administration including to State Officials. Daugherty did not like this and instigated a sexual harassment investigation against Mullan regarding three women. In relation to two of these women they found no violation of University policy. With regard to the third, Gosche, the University had, six years earlier, investigated a complaint lodged on her behalf and found no violation. The same circumstances were investigated again with respect to Gosche and this time the DEO decided there had been an unwitnessed violation of University's policy but not on the University campuses or in University time. None of the University's investigation was taken under oath, Gosche for instance being "interviewed" in a park on a Sunday afternoon. Under Oath in a lawsuit Gosche denied ever claiming to anyone sexual harassment with regard to Mullan's behavior.

**Melissa Freeman went on to obtain a medical degree at USF. In late 2017 Mullan began receiving communications and objects commonly associated with death. Simultaneously, media communications emanating from Freeman's social media accounts were aimed at causing distress to Mullan and his family. On April 5, 2018 Washington state's Department of Health's Medical Quality Assurance Commission announced that they had immediately suspended Freeman's medical license (MD 604 59 880). Freeman was charged with being unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety. Washington state officials had received communications from Freeman which were “unprofessional, contained profane language and the tone was threatening”.