N.Y. court reinstates slander case vs. Boeheim

Former Syracuse ball boys Bobby Davis and Mike Lang have a “reasonable view” that they were slandered by head coach Jim Boeheim in 2011 when the longtime coach called the boys liars and accused them of chasing money.

Boeheim made the comments when accusations that Boeheim’s top assistant coach, Bernie Fine, had molested the boys when they were children.

Fine did not face criminal charges because of the state statute of limitations.

Davis and Lang, who are stepbrothers, appealed the Oct. 2013 state appellate division dismissal of the slander case. At the time, their attorney, Marian Wang, told the Syracuse Post-Standard that Boeheim should be held accountable.

“When victims of childhood sexual abuse at last have the courage to come forward and speak about their suffering and experience, those in positions of power with access to the facts must speak responsibly and carefully, not recklessly,” Wang said. “They should not attack the victims.”