Lang
1/12/22
Lawyers for the reported victim in a sexual assault lawsuit are fighting efforts to suppress a subpoena seeking records from the University of Iowa.
Attorneys representing Makena Solberg filed the motion last Friday. That’s because lawyers for the defendants in the case, Carson Steffen and Jacob Meloan, are fighting a subpoena that was filed in December. The subpoena asks the UI to release records pertaining to Steffen and Meloan and their alleged misconduct as part of the Phi Gamma Delta, or Fiji, fraternity. It asks for records pertaining to the last five years of all disciplinary actions taken against Fiji and its members, the agendas and meeting notes from the UI Interfraternity Council and other Greek council meetings where actions against Fiji were discussed, and any records pertaining to alleged misconduct from Steffen and Meloan.
Steffen and Meloan are resisting the subpoena, arguing releasing the information would violate their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Solberg alleges that in September of 2020 Steffen and Meloan conspired to lure her into one of their bedrooms, then sexually assaulted her while she was intoxicated, physically impaired and unable to give consent. Steffen was arrested last month on suspicion of first-degree harassment. The criminal complaint alleges that Steffen recorded images of Solberg engaging in a sex act with another male and sent a photo to several people on Snapchat without Solberg’s permission.
