OSG High: Jackson HS Coach Sued For Whipping Players...

((HT: WJTV-TV Jackson, Miss))

Three Murrah High ((MS)) School basketball players have sued their coach and the school system over alleged whippings. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Jackson by attorney Lisa Ross.

Ross contends that video from a practice shows a basketball player bent over as a man swings a belt, hitting him three times.

Ross said the man in the video is Murrah boys basketball coach Marlon Dorsey.

In the lawsuit, players contend they were abused by Dorsey after running plays incorrectly, and were hit by a weight belt that weighed anywhere from five to 10 pounds.

Dorsey, who admitted to "paddling" his players ((full statement below)), has been on leave since late October.

Here's the video released to the media, thanks to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper... all six seconds of it...


Here's Dorsey's statement through his pastor at the end of last month:

"Following the recent developments pertaining to allegations, I paddled my students; I want to publicly apologize to the Murrah High School Parents, Jackson Public School District, Murrah High School and the City of Jackson.

“Today, some of students have lost pride in their school and in their selves. Students are disrespecting teachers, administrators and other students by stealing cell phones, leaving off campus without permission, disrupting classroom teaching time, late for class and not following dress codes by wearing the pants on their butts and house shoes to school and on-court behavior.”

“I took it upon myself to save these young men from the destruction of self and what society has accepted and become silent to the issues our students are facing on a daily basis. My actions were to prevent the tragedy that happened to three of our basketball players three years ago at Murrah High School.”

“I am deeply remorseful of my actions to help our students."

Here's Tracy Armbruster's story when all of this began...

Here's the most recent statement from Jackson Public Schools:

We have reviewed the circumstances relating to the allegations against Coach Marlon Dorsey. I have discussed our findings with the administrative staff and have decided to handle the situation within the policies of the school district which allow for suspension without pay or termination for violation of the corporal punishment policy. In taking action, the school district considered the seriousness of the circumstances, prevailing policy, input and concerns from parents and the athletes involved, and Coach Dorsey’s overall employee performance record. Since this is a personnel matter, no further details will be provided to the public by the school district. We do not want to violate Coach Dorsey’s privacy rights. However, you may be assured that this situation has been addressed.

Marquita Brown's article in the Clarion-Ledger quotes Ross as saying Dorsey has been suspended for 4 weeks without pay.