Jackson based attorney Lisa Ross has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three students and their parents. The students claim in the lawsuit they were beaten by Murrah High School Basketball Coach Marlon Dorsey for making wrong plays during practice.
Ross, who released the video to The Mississippi Link, said the contents of it were appalling. “I am shocked by what I saw and heard in this video…it is deplorable,” said Ross. “Teachers do not have a right to hit you, and teachers especially do not have a right to hit you when you violate no rules.”
While the audio of the video is not clear, Ross believes Dorsey used foul and disrespectful language. “It seems as if the coach is saying I’m gonna get your ass this time or I’m getting your ass this time,” Ross said
The lawsuit, which represents only one side of a legal argument, also named as defendants, assistant boy’s basketball coach Brandon Sanders, Principal Freddrick Murray and the Jackson Public School District.
Earlier this month, Dorsey admitted to whipping the students via a letter that he released. In it Dorsey wrote, “I took it upon myself to save these young men from the destruction of self and what society has accepted and become silent to.” Dorsey also claimed in the statement that the students disrespected teachers, administrators and even some stole cell phones, left campus without permission and disrupted classroom teaching time.
Ross claims the coach went too far. “He violated these students constitutional rights to privacy when he released his statement and casted the students in a false/bad light,” Ross said. “We believe there will be simply no evidence to show that any of my clients ever stole a cell phone; that they were disruptive in the classroom or that they disrespected any teacher, administrator or any other student. If they had done so, they were supposed to do a write-up and they have not received any sort of write-up.”
Ross is seeking injunctive relief to prevent whippings in the future. “We are taking this course action because we believe that JPS has failed to properly train their faculty and staff and this type of behavior can not continue,” Ross said. “We are also seeking compensatory damages.”
Ross claims the whippings have been going on since September. “These boys were being teased by other students and even some female students,” Ross said. “We believe they were afraid to speak out before for fear of being kicked off the basketball team.”
JPS attorney Joann Sheppard told The Mississippi Link last week that Dorsey had been on paid administrative leave. However, Ross said she was told that the district had rearranged Dorsey’s suspension. “Based on what I understand he has been suspended for about 14 days now and will serve a maximum suspension of 25 or 28 days without pay,” she said. “They will just simply reconfigure what he was paid to balance out a full suspension without pay.”
Some parents want Dorsey back in his position as head coach. “I maintain that Dorsey used bad judgment but his intentions and motives were good,” Greg Love said. Love, who has a son on the team, wants Dorsey reinstated immediately.
Calls made to Dorsey were not returned.
Jackson based attorney Lisa Ross has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three students and their parents. The students claim in the lawsuit they were beaten by Murrah High School Basketball Coach Marlon Dorsey for making wrong plays during practice.
Ross, who released the video to The Mississippi Link, said the contents of it were appalling. “I am shocked by what I saw and heard in this video…it is deplorable,” said Ross. “Teachers do not have a right to hit you, and teachers especially do not have a right to hit you when you violate no rules.”
While the audio of the video is not clear, Ross believes Dorsey used foul and disrespectful language. “It seems as if the coach is saying I’m gonna get your ass this time or I’m getting your ass this time,” Ross said
The lawsuit, which represents only one side of a legal argument, also named as defendants, assistant boy’s basketball coach Brandon Sanders, Principal Freddrick Murray and the Jackson Public School District.
Earlier this month, Dorsey admitted to whipping the students via a letter that he released. In it Dorsey wrote, “I took it upon myself to save these young men from the destruction of self and what society has accepted and become silent to.” Dorsey also claimed in the statement that the students disrespected teachers, administrators and even some stole cell phones, left campus without permission and disrupted classroom teaching time.
Ross claims the coach went too far. “He violated these students constitutional rights to privacy when he released his statement and casted the students in a false/bad light,” Ross said. “We believe there will be simply no evidence to show that any of my clients ever stole a cell phone; that they were disruptive in the classroom or that they disrespected any teacher, administrator or any other student. If they had done so, they were supposed to do a write-up and they have not received any sort of write-up.”
Ross is seeking injunctive relief to prevent whippings in the future. “We are taking this course action because we believe that JPS has failed to properly train their faculty and staff and this type of behavior can not continue,” Ross said. “We are also seeking compensatory damages.”
Ross claims the whippings have been going on since September. “These boys were being teased by other students and even some female students,” Ross said. “We believe they were afraid to speak out before for fear of being kicked off the basketball team.”
JPS attorney Joann Sheppard told The Mississippi Link last week that Dorsey had been on paid administrative leave. However, Ross said she was told that the district had rearranged Dorsey’s suspension. “Based on what I understand he has been suspended for about 14 days now and will serve a maximum suspension of 25 or 28 days without pay,” she said. “They will just simply reconfigure what he was paid to balance out a full suspension without pay.”
Some parents want Dorsey back in his position as head coach. “I maintain that Dorsey used bad judgment but his intentions and motives were good,” Greg Love said. Love, who has a son on the team, wants Dorsey reinstated immediately.
Calls made to Dorsey were not returned.
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