Cal Settles Lawsuit in Football Player's Death for $4.75 Million

UC Berkeley has agreed to a $4.75 million settlement with the family of Ted Agu, a Cal football player who died after an extreme team workout in February 2014.

In a statement issued Thursday, the university also said it has agreed to improve its monitoring of the health of student athletes, including those who, like Agu, have been diagnosed with sickle cell trait.

"The university is glad to have reached a resolution with the Agu family, as it has been a difficult process for everyone involved," Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesman, said in the statement. "Now UC Berkeley can continue to focus its energies on enhancing the safety and well-being of student-athletes."

Cal also agreed to maintain a memorial to Agu in the Golden Bears' football locker room.

Agu's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university in August 2014, alleging "reckless and negligent behavior" by the staff toward an athlete known to have sickle cell trait.

Steve Yerrid, one of the attorneys for Emilia and Ambrose Agu, of Bakersfield, also issued a brief statement.

"Justice for the Agu family will benefit the future welfare of student athletes for years to come," Yerrid said. "On behalf of the family, we are pleased that Cal has accepted responsibility, monetarily acknowledged the enormity of the loss suffered and taken critically important reforms aimed at preventing these tragedies from occurring to others."

Cal admitted liability for Agu's death in January. That was about the same time that the San Francisco Chronicle disclosed that confidential depositions from Agu's teammates and others raised questions about the response of coaches and trainers to Agu's collapse during a Feb. 7, 2014, workout near Berkeley's Memorial Stadium.

The Chronicle said the depositions "also detailed allegations that campus officials did not provide the Alameda County coroner’s office with all police and medical records after Agu died, including some that indicated he had sickle cell trait."

Sickle cell trait, a blood condition related to sickle cell disease, is found in about 8 percent of African-Americans. Those who have the condition may be at risk for sudden death under extreme exertion.