May 13, 2000: NaviSite Inc. is a sponsor of the Austin Players Event, an awards banquet honoring local technology companies.
May 14-15, 2000: Rene and Eileen Ibenhard host a dinner party at their southwest Austin home, attended by NaviSite executives Howard Brown and Christopher Levy, along with “Jane Doe” (a new hire in NaviSite’s Austin office) and Lisa Capece, a friend of Levy’s. Sometime after midnight, Capece alleges that Rene Ibenhard raped her while she was passed out in a spare bedroom. She and Levy call the Travis Co. Sheriff’s Office and subsequently go to St. David’s Hospital, where Capece is given a rape exam.
May 16-Oct. 5, 2000: Sheriff’s Detective Chris Orton investigates Capece’s rape charges.
Oct. 24, 2000: Capece testifies before a Travis County grand jury. She is the only witness subpoenaed to testify; the jury no-bills the case.
July 11, 2001: Capece files a civil lawsuit against the Ibenhards, Brown, NaviSite, and parent company CMGI.
Aug. 31, 2001: District Judge John Dietz rules on NaviSite’s motion for summary judgment, granting it in part, but allowing Capece’s case to go forward based on the question of “vice-principal liability.”
September 2001: Capece reaches an out-of-court settlement with the Ibenhards and Brown. CMGI is subsequently dropped from the lawsuit.
Dec. 3, 2001: First day of Capece trial.
Dec. 7, 2001: Trial ends. After four and a half hours of deliberation, the jury finds that both Ibenhard and Brown did sexually assault Capece, but that NaviSite should not be held responsible.
This article appears in January 18 • 2002.