MS teacher threatens to sue after arrest for sexual battery www.privateofficer.com
HATTIESBURG, MS Aug 17 2011- Attorneys for a suspended Hattiesburg High school math teacher have put the Hattiesburg school board on notice….either pay up or face a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
Leo Pollard was arrested by school resource officers in May on charges of sexual battery. The allegations reportedly involved having sex with a female student off campus.
A city judge later dismissed the charges ruling the resource officers had no jurisdiction to arrest Pollard off campus. According to state law, a school resource officers jurisdiction stops 500 feet from a school campus.
According to the notice of claim, Pollard is seeking 2.5 million dollars in compensatory damages, a formal hearing on his employment suspension, and the reinstatement of his teaching certificate. The notice of claim names the school district, the three resource officers, the superintendent, and each school board member individually as possible defendants any potential lawsuit.
Although the charges were dismissed in July, District Attorney Patricia Burchell said the Hattiesburg police department could investigate the claims and charges could be brought up again.
A police department spokesman told us today that no active investigation is underway…nor has there been a request from the school or the D.A. to initiate an investigation…nor has a victim come forward.
Meanwhile, the school district will only acknowledge it has received the notice of claim.
Source:WDAM
