Katie Meyer’s laptop presents clues that may be relevant to the wrongful death lawsuit that her parents filed against Stanford University after the former soccer goalkeeper and captain died by suicide more than a year and a half ago.
According to USA Today, a Sept. 28 order from Judge Frederick Chung of the Superior Court of Santa Clara prompts Meyer’s parents, Steve and Gina, to provide a “mirror drive” containing sensitive information from their daughter’s laptop in 30 days that may provide clues about the downward spiral for Meyer at 22 years old and just months ahead of her graduation.
The Meyers agreed March 10 under oath to hand over the mirror drive but, according to the judge’s order, “then backtracked” and argued they never agreed to give an “absolute mirror image” of their daughter’s computer and rather only “responsive,” “non-privileged information,” according to the order.
The judge wrote that argument is “baseless.”
“The court finds that a mirror image of Katie Meyer’s laptop is directly relevant to the central issues in this case, including Katie’s state of mind and her activities on her computer,” the judge wrote.
The litigation between Meyers and Stanford has been combative with each party blaming Meyer’s death on the other for breaching duty of care.
The tension has only grown in light of the mirror drive.
Meyer’s parents say it proves Stanford is in the wrong, as disciplinary action from the university against Meyer was found, according to court filings.
Meyer, according to school officials, may have acted in retaliation when spilling a hot coffee on a Stanford football player in 2021, who had to receive medical attention for the burns.
According to the school’s records filed with the court, the unnamed player had reportedly kissed one of Meyer’s teammates without consent a week prior.
Stanford sent Meyer an email on Feb. 28, 2022, the night before her body was
found in her dorm room, explaining that she would be a facing disciplinary charge from the incident.
A five-page letter was also sent to her, according to a court filing, informing Meyer that her degree was going to be put on hold less than four months from graduation and the charge could warrant her removal from the university.
“Computer forensics shows that Katie frantically toggled back and forth between the letter and the attachments and searching how to defend a disciplinary complaint,’’ according to a court document that added Stanford’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services were closed when Meyer received the email.
nypost.com
