Escort’s book publisher, author countersue Louisville students

The publisher and co-author of escort Katina Powell's book alleging that former University of Louisville men's basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties at the team's dormitory have countersued a group of Louisville students, saying they attempted to "extort" a monetary settlement in their action alleging Powell and the book devalued their education.

Indianapolis-based IBJ Book Publishing LLC and "Breaking Cardinal Rules" author Dick Cady filed suit Friday in Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, alleging the students sought notoriety for themselves and their attorneys and lacked proof of their allegations.

Kyle Hornback and three other students sued Powell last fall, saying her book damaged the school's reputation. Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Mitch Perry dismissed the students' suit in April, saying the accusations had no merit.

“A current or future student could potentially bring a claim against a university for virtually any negative assertion which has a real or imagined impact on that student’s education,” Perry wrote in his ruling. “Allowing this claim to go forward would allow these plaintiffs to drastically expand the avenues of civil liability and recovery in the commonwealth of Kentucky.”

The students' co-counsel, Nader George Shunnarah, said Tuesday "that when all is said and done, we will be vindicated."

While Perry denied the students' argument for recovery in the suit, he allowed six women and a man named in the book to proceed with separate defamation complaints against Powell, Cady and IBJ Publishing, a sister company to IBJ Media. Indiana Lawyer is owned by IBJ Media.

Powell's book led to an NCAA investigation and prompted Louisville to self-impose sanctions on its men's basketball program.