Lake's attorney, Brian Watkins has told The Times the school did not attempt to make contact with his client until last fall, more than two years after the accusations became public and 11 months after the NCAA interviewed him.
Dickey's statement also referred to a letter the school sent to Lake's attorney requesting an interview. Dickey said "neither Mr. Lake nor his attorney agreed to that request."
Watkins responded Thursday: "I called [USC attorney] Kelly Bendell and left about four voice messages. She never responded, so I just let it go."
Dickey also said USC had tried to interview Johnson, who made the accusations that led to the Mayo inquiry and also the allegation regarding Floyd's cash payment to middleman Rodney Guillory.
Both sides agree that USC sat in on two interviews with Johnson conducted by the NCAA and Pac-10.
However, Anthony V. Salerno, a Johnson attorney, said Thursday night, "I wouldn't say in my opinion that [USC] investigated in any way, that they did anything on their own to try to find out what was going on, at least with regard to Louis. . . . They appeared to take it seriously once the NCAA developed the information and they really had no choice but to deal with it."
Of USC's critics, Garrett said, "People who say that we have something to protect are partially right. What we have to protect is the integrity of the athletic department. And that means doing this right. And that is what we are doing."
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gary.klein@latimes.com
