An emergency contempt hearing has been rescheduled in the Brentwood Academy case, months after a family sued the prestigious school, alleging they failed to act after the repeated rape and sexual assault of a 12-year-old student.
The hearing had been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday in Franklin; however, Bureon Ledbetter, who had allegedly been representing the family, did not show up.
Reports stated Ledbetter was the reason for the contempt hearing, and Judge Deanna Johnson issued a summons for Ledbetter. Those in court on Friday said Ledbetter was given notice Friday morning of the emergency hearing, but he failed to show up.
Ledbetter has now been ordered to show up in court at a later date.
Ledbetter reportedly told other media outlets he was an attorney representing the victims in the Brentwood Academy lawsuit. The problem with that, the judge said, was that Ledbetter is not licensed to practice law In Tennessee.
The emergency hearing was to discuss Ledbetter's alleged behavior. Through communication in court by the judge and attorneys on Friday afternoon, it was discovered Ledbetter potentially gave false information when he allegedly "went to the paper."
The hearing was an emergency contempt hearing. Contempt has a general definition of: the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful of a court of law.
The judge ended the hearing for Friday, but she said she's considering now whether to issue an injunction and restraining order saying Ledbetter has to return sealed case documents to the court by Monday and forbidding him to represent himself as an attorney in this case.
In August, a woman filed a lawsuit on behalf of her son, alleging that the then 6th grader was sexually assaulted by an eighth grader in a locker room while others held him down back in the 2014-2015 school year.
The lawsuit said on four separate dates in January and February of 2015, three or four students allegedly sexually harassed, sexually assaulted, and raped the victim while in a locker room. They were reportedly not supervised by an adult.
Other male students allegedly witnessed the acts, according to the lawsuit.
Brentwood Academy later released a statement, denying the allegations and saying in part:
“We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously against these accusations, and we will pursue all relief available to protect all parties involved in this case. We are committed to addressing any allegation of sexual harassment and bullying, and it’s important for you to know that at no time before or during our investigation into misconduct did anyone report that a rape occurred.”
Read More:
DCS Opens Investigation Into Rape Allegations At Brentwood Academy
Brentwood Academy Files Response To Rape Lawsuit
Family Sues Brentwood Academy For $30 Million
