Student sues university in St. Louis over drug accusation

ST. LOUIS -- A women's basketball player at Harris-Stowe University in St. Louis has filed a lawsuit against the school, saying she was wrongly accused of drug possession and suspended for a year after denying a dean's sexual advances.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the suit filed by Brittany Jackson names the university and three school officials.

It alleges the dean of student success, Emmanuel Lalande, groped Jackson during a meeting in his office March 28. After she protested, Jackson said she was accused of marijuana possession in her gym bag.

The lawsuit claims assistant dean Shawn Baker and public safety lieutenant Ricky Perry escorted Jackson off campus against her will.

Two security officers dropped her off at a drugstore in Collinsville, Illinois, an incident that "constituted false imprisonment that had no justification," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit said Baker sent a notice to Jackson she was "administrative dismissed effective immediately from the university infinitely." It later was reduced to a one-year suspension.

Police classified the case as a "non-criminal incident," saying university officials did not contact them for three weeks after the marijuana allegedly was found and made inconsistent statements to a detective assigned to the case.

The lawsuit says Jackson's reputation was harmed by the accusations.

The university said, in a statement, it was "deeply disappointed" by the accusations and called them "unfounded."

"The law prohibits the University from disclosing to the media any details regarding the circumstances surrounding a student's enrollment. However, we look forward to defending against this suit in court," the statement read.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com