Former Lobo who alleges he was punched names names; UNM seeks sanctions against 'publicity' seeking attorneys

Shane Douma-Sanchez, the University of New Mexico walk-on basketball player who filed suit in December alleging a teammate punched him, has had a change of heart in regard to naming the former teammate.

On Dec. 30, Douma-Sanchez’s attorney, David Adams, told the Journal the decision not to name the teammate who allegedly threw the punch and made other threats was intentional, adding the intent of the suit wasn’t to embarrass or hurt that player’s reputation, but to ensure UNM fixed the culture they claim put Douma-Sanchez in harm’s way.

An amended motion filed March 17 names Tru Washington, UNM’s starting shooting guard, as the teammate who Douma-Sanchez says assaulted him.

In response, UNM is seeking the motion be denied and asks for sanctions against Douma-Sanchez’s attorneys, alleging they are, among other things, seeking publicity.

In the December lawsuit, Douma-Sanchez, the 2023 graduate of Del Norte High School who never played a game for the Lobos, alleged UNM and head coach Richard Pitino violated the New Mexico Civil Rights Act by essentially fostering a win-at-all costs culture that not only led to Douma-Sanchez being punched, but also to a cover-up and lack of discipline after the incident.

Washington — who transferred out of UNM last month — has not been charged with a crime or publicly disciplined by UNM or the coaching staff.

UNM conducted an investigation, though the findings have not been made public. Douma-Sanchez’s legal team has asked the court to compel the university to release the investigation findings to them.

Douma-Sanchez’s team is also hoping to add well-known Lobo booster and local attorney Rudolph “Rudy” Chavez as a defendant in the suit. The amended complaint states Chavez “made or amplified within the UNM community false, deceptive, and defamatory statements about Shane and the incidents to distract from the truth regarding Defendant Washington’s criminal misconduct in a misguided attempt to manipulate the facts of the incident in public discussion.”

Chavez was representing Washington, though earlier this month accepted an indefinite suspension of his law license for an unrelated case.

The amendment in the Douma-Sanchez suit, signed by attorney Charles S. Parnall, states his client’s legal team chose to “add parties, which (it) had, for good cause, previously excluded” from the lawsuit.

UNM fired back at Douma-Sanchez’s attorneys, claiming they should be sanctioned for adding “baseless claims and new defendants for improper purposes, including delay, harassment and publicity.”

“While it is our practice not to comment on specific details concerning ongoing legal matters, we strongly disagree and oppose the allegations and claims presented in Plaintiff’s original and amended complaints,” UNM said in a statement on Wednesday.

Attorneys representing UNM and Pitino have already filed to have the case dismissed. In Pitino’s case, attorneys argue the New Mexico Civil Rights Act is specific to violations alleged against public bodies and does not allow for claims against individuals.

Douma-Sanchez alleges he was “repeatedly hazed and harassed” by Washington and his suit claims “UNM turned a blind eye to this misconduct.”

The alleged mistreatment turned physical following the team’s Nov. 26 chartered flight to Palm Springs, California, for a two-game tournament.

The suit accuses Washington of “punching Shane in the face and breaking his nose. … (then) also struck Shane on his injured shoulder.” Washington is also accused of later going into the hotel room where Douma-Sanchez and another walk-on where staying and physically assaulting the other walk-on, who has not been named and who has not made any claims.

The suit states when Douma-Sanchez told the team’s coaches what allegedly happened, he was offered the option of staying with the team or being flown home the next day. He chose to go home and has not been with the team since.

Douma-Sanchez did not seek medical attention from the team doctor or trainer in California. His lawsuit does not allege any coach witnessed the punch.

That Washington was the teammate Douma-Sanchez alleges punched him was not exactly a secret to some. The Utah State student section heckled Washington mercilessly throughout their Feb. 1 game in Logan, Utah, printing on their pregame “Bullsheet,” a sheet of paper giving student fans fodder to heckle opposing players about, that Washington assaulted Douma-Sanchez.

Other fan bases didn’t have the same information. On March 4 in Reno, Nevada, the Wolfpack student section heckled UNM star guard Donovan Dent throughout the game asking him why he punched a teammate.

No Lobo player other than Douma-Sanchez in a television interview with KRQE-TV in December has spoken publicly about the lawsuit. Pitino, now the head coach at Xavier University, has not spoken publicly about it, either.

Douma-Sanchez entered the NCAA transfer portal on March 22. Washington, who also entered the portal in March but after the amended lawsuit was filed, committed to the Miami Hurricanes.

The court will hear pending motions in the case on July 1.