NCAA responds to release of Todd McNair documents

In a statement released Friday, the NCAA said it is “confident” that California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal will find that the infractions committee that sanctioned Todd McNair and USC “engaged in a comprehensive, deliberative process and did not act with malice.”

Earlier this week, the NCAA publicly filed nearly 500 pages of previously sealed documents in connection with McNair’s defamation lawsuit against the organization.

The documents expressed concern that NCAA investigators “botched” an interview with McNair, suggested that “McNair should have all inferences negatively inferred against him” and mocked the university’s response to the scandal.

“These publicly filed documents illustrate how the Committee on Infractions underwent thorough deliberations consistent with the policies and procedures governing the infractions process,” the NCAA’s statement said.

“The documents, including committee’s email correspondence after the hearing which has received the most attention, further demonstrate that the Committee on Infractions is not a body of single-minded individuals but rather a group of individuals with different perspectives who worked diligently to reach a consensus based on information presented to the committee.”

One of those infractions committee emails excerpted in the documents called McNair “a lying, morally bankrupt criminal … and a hypocrite of the highest order.”

Some 200 previously sealed pages, including that email, weren’t included in the filing earlier this week. McNair’s attorneys filed a motion Thursday asking that the NCAA’s appeal be dismissed because it filed an incomplete record.

The NCAA is seeking to have the appellate court strike McNair’s complaint and dismiss the case.

“It is unfortunate that Mr. McNair’s unfounded claims have resulted in an attack on the character and integrity of dedicated individual committee members and the overall infractions process,” the NCAA’s statement said.

On Wednesday, USC said in a statement that the documents showed “bias against McNair and USC by and on behalf of the NCAA and its Committee on Infractions.”

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said that the documents “confirm” the university was treated unfairly.

McNair’s attorneys have declined comment.

nathan.fenno@latimes.com

Twitter: @nathanfenno