Fisk president named in restraining order filed by alleged ex-lover
Fisk President Dr. Kevin Rome Sr. is accused of harassment of man who claims they met on a gay dating app
The president of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee has just been placed under a restraining order after claims of harassing an alleged ex-lover.
Dr. Kevin Rome, Sr. is being accused of harassing the man to the point he longer felt safe, News 4 reports. According to the unidentified man, he and Rome spent the night together after meeting on the gay dating app Grindr.
Rome became Fisk’s 16th president in 2017, previously serving as president of Lincoln University from 2013-2017. He is married to Stephanie Rome and they share two children.
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The restraining order claims that Rome gave the man the drug GHB which rendered him unconscious when they hooked up in May. Afterward, Rome “invited other people over to have sex” with the man while he was drugged.
The anonymous man further told police that after his sexual encounter with Rome, whom he knew as “Rob,” he was sent messages to “Stay away from his people.”
He was also warned that he’d be killed if he “continued to date Black men.” He allegedly received the threats on August 6 after a man who was at the May encounter recognized him.
The man is also claiming that his apartment was broken into on June 14 and 15 and that Rome and an accomplice were responsible. He alleges that homophobic slurs were written on the wall and that the plumbing was tampered with so that sewage destroyed his apartment.
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The petitioner is now living in a hotel due to the damage and the threats he believes are motivated by jealousy because he’s dating Rome’s alleged ex.
“I have learned that my boyfriend that I was dating at the time of this incident is “Rob’s” ex, and I was afraid that “Rob” did all of this out of jealousy,” the victim wrote in his complaint.
“I am now terrified to leave my house because of the threat on my life. I am very fearful that “Rob” may follow through on the threat to kill me and I want him to stay away from me and not contact me.”
A judge granted the restraining order but Rome has denied the allegations in their entirety.
“I’m just as shocked as you, I have no idea who this person is and I can’t even respond to it because I don’t even know who they are,” Rome told Scoop Nashville in a phone call.
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Jay Steed, who is representing Rome, said that Rome intended to fight the case in court to clear his good name, and thanked his supporters.
“It is important to note that these are merely civil accusations. Dr. Rome has not been charged with any crime. Dr. Rome is most concerned for his family, friends, and the community at Fisk University for any harm they are experiencing as a result of these spurious charges.
“He expresses his deepest thanks to all those who have reached out to him over the past few days expressing their support,” Steed said in a statement to News 4.
The university has yet to comment on these allegations.
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