Lawsuit: Allegedly

Like we've read in the book before, in a lawsuit anyone can allege anything. So it's extra-important to note things are alleged.

The district didn't fail to adequately educate James Dowdell. They allegedly failed to adequately educate Dowdell. We won't know whether that's true or not until the trial takes place and evidence is presented.

Also, what is being alleged is what, specifically, is being said; not that something is being said.

What I mean is, it's not that the Dowdells allegedly said their child received an insufficient education; that is what they said. What is being alleged is the substance of the claim, so better placement of allegedly would be, the Dowdells said their child allegedly received an insufficient education.

Let's be sure to liberally use the word alleged since what is being alleged has yet to be proven in court and can be considered libelous given the claims of ill-repute being made.

In any instance where one side is making claims about the conduct of the other side that are disparaging or indicate criminal action, please use alleged.

Police: Allegedly!

Especially when reporting on crime and courts, it's hard to use the word allegedly enough. At the time accusations are made, they are alleged; that is, thaey have yet to be proven in a court of law.

So, it's important that we properly attribute things as being alleged.

For example, it's not alleged that Timothy Keel entered the store. He has a face full of broken bones proving he was there. And it's not a crime to get your ass kicked (though it may be a crime to do the ass-kicking).

What is alleged is whether he pulled a knife, and tried to commit a crime.

So, where does allegedly fit in here?

DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and exposed a knife.

Before "exposed a knife," right? Like this:


DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and allegedly exposed a knife.

When something is being alleged, do use allegedly. And when in doubt, be safe and use allegedly. 

Lawsuit: Allegedly

Like we've read in the book before, in a lawsuit anyone can allege anything. So it's extra-important to note things are alleged.

The district didn't fail to adequately educate James Dowdell. They allegedly failed to adequately educate Dowdell. We won't know whether that's true or not until the trial takes place and evidence is presented.

Also, what is being alleged is what, specifically, is being said; not that something is being said.

What I mean is, it's not that the Dowdells allegedly said their child received an insufficient education; that is what they said. What is being alleged is the substance of the claim, so better placement of allegedly would be, the Dowdells said their child allegedly received an insufficient education.

Let's be sure to liberally use the word alleged since what is being alleged has yet to be proven in court and can be considered libelous given the claims of ill-repute being made.

In any instance where one side is making claims about the conduct of the other side that are disparaging or indicate criminal action, please use alleged. 

Police: Allegedly!

Especially when reporting on crime and courts, it's hard to use the word allegedly enough. At the time accusations are made, they are alleged; that is, thaey have yet to be proven in a court of law.

So, it's important that we properly attribute things as being alleged.

For example, it's not alleged that Timothy Keel entered the store. He has a face full of broken bones proving he was there. And it's not a crime to get your ass kicked (though it may be a crime to do the ass-kicking).

What is alleged is whether he pulled a knife, and tried to commit a crime.

So, where does allegedly fit in here?

DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and exposed a knife.

Before "exposed a knife," right? Like this:


DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and allegedly exposed a knife.

When something is being alleged, do use allegedly. And when in doubt, be safe and use allegedly. 

Lawsuit: Allegedly

Like we've read in the book before, in a lawsuit anyone can allege anything. So it's extra-important to note things are alleged.

The district didn't fail to adequately educate James Dowdell. They allegedly failed to adequately educate Dowdell. We won't know whether that's true or not until the trial takes place and evidence is presented.

Also, what is being alleged is what, specifically, is being said; not that something is being said.

What I mean is, it's not that the Dowdells allegedly said their child received an insufficient education; that is what they said. What is being alleged is the substance of the claim, so better placement of allegedly would be, the Dowdells said their child allegedly received an insufficient education.

Let's be sure to liberally use the word alleged since what is being alleged has yet to be proven in court and can be considered libelous given the claims of ill-repute being made.

In any instance where one side is making claims about the conduct of the other side that are disparaging or indicate criminal action, please use alleged. 

Police: Allegedly!

Especially when reporting on crime and courts, it's hard to use the word allegedly enough. At the time accusations are made, they are alleged; that is, thaey have yet to be proven in a court of law.

So, it's important that we properly attribute things as being alleged.

For example, it's not alleged that Timothy Keel entered the store. He has a face full of broken bones proving he was there. And it's not a crime to get your ass kicked (though it may be a crime to do the ass-kicking).

What is alleged is whether he pulled a knife, and tried to commit a crime.

So, where does allegedly fit in here?

DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and exposed a knife.

Before "exposed a knife," right? Like this:


DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and allegedly exposed a knife.

When something is being alleged, do use allegedly. And when in doubt, be safe and use allegedly. 

Lawsuit: Allegedly

Like we've read in the book before, in a lawsuit anyone can allege anything. So it's extra-important to note things are alleged.

The district didn't fail to adequately educate James Dowdell. They allegedly failed to adequately educate Dowdell. We won't know whether that's true or not until the trial takes place and evidence is presented.

Also, what is being alleged is what, specifically, is being said; not that something is being said.

What I mean is, it's not that the Dowdells allegedly said their child received an insufficient education; that is what they said. What is being alleged is the substance of the claim, so better placement of allegedly would be, the Dowdells said their child allegedly received an insufficient education.

Let's be sure to liberally use the word alleged since what is being alleged has yet to be proven in court and can be considered libelous given the claims of ill-repute being made.

In any instance where one side is making claims about the conduct of the other side that are disparaging or indicate criminal action, please use alleged. 

Police: Allegedly!

Especially when reporting on crime and courts, it's hard to use the word allegedly enough. At the time accusations are made, they are alleged; that is, thaey have yet to be proven in a court of law.

So, it's important that we properly attribute things as being alleged.

For example, it's not alleged that Timothy Keel entered the store. He has a face full of broken bones proving he was there. And it's not a crime to get your ass kicked (though it may be a crime to do the ass-kicking).

What is alleged is whether he pulled a knife, and tried to commit a crime.

So, where does allegedly fit in here?

DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and exposed a knife.

Before "exposed a knife," right? Like this:


DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and allegedly exposed a knife.

When something is being alleged, do use allegedly. And when in doubt, be safe and use allegedly. 

Lawsuit: A Good Example

Consistent attribution, consistent use of allegedly and a lede/nut graf sequence that zeroes in on the main point:

-->

Two parents are suing the Kennedy High School principal, superintendent, and East Lansing School District for $500,000 in Ingham County Circuit Court.

Parents Thaddeus and Laura Dowdell allege that their son James Dowdell has not learned enough to be graduated from high school and that this is the failure of Principal Marvin Ferrell, Superintendent Greg Hubbard and the school district.

James Dowdell, who has attended Kennedy High School for the past three years, has allegedly been told that he will graduate from the school on or around the beginning of next June, according to the lawsuit.

The problem is that James Dowdell’s parents allege that he can barely read or do simple arithmetic and has not learned enough to be graduated from high school or to successfully function in a society as complex as ours, according to the lawsuit. 

Thaddeus and Laura Dowdell allege that the fault does not lie with son James, who according to tests administered by guidance counselors at Kennedy High School has an average IQ of 94, according to the lawsuit. 

The Dowdells allege that it is the failure of the defendants to employ competent teachers, to maintain discipline, to provide remedial help and to provide an atmosphere in which learning might take place, according to the lawsuit.

Along with $500,000 in compensatory damages, the Dowdells are also demanding that James Dowdell be retained at the high school until he further masters the skills expected of a high school graduate, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are also demanding a trial by jury, according to the lawsuit.

Lawsuit: Allegedly

Like we've discussed before, in a lawsuit anyone can allege anything. So it's extra-important to note things are alleged.

The district didn't fail to adequately educate James Dowdell. They allegedly failed to adequately educate Dowdell. We won't know whether that's true or not until the trial takes place and evidence is presented.

Also, what is being alleged is what, specifically, is being said; not that something is being said.

What I mean is, it's not that the Dowdells allegedly said their child received an insufficient education; that is what they said. What is being alleged is the substance of the claim, so better placement of allegedly would be, the Dowdells said their child allegedly received an insufficient education.

Let's be sure to liberally use the word alleged since what is being alleged has yet to be proven in court and can be considered libelous given the claims of ill-repute being made.

In any instance where one side is making claims about the conduct of the other side that are disparaging or indicate criminal action, please use alleged. 

Police: Some Good Examples

Note a good lede that gets to what the latest news is, a strong nut graf that sums up what happened that brought us to the point of the lede, short paragraphs with each turn of events getting itss own graf, and good and consistent attribution throughout: 

One man is in police custody and another is on the loose after the duo’s attempted robbery of a 24-hour convenience store went awry early this morning.

Jiffy Foods employee Terry DaRoza managed to fend off two men with nothing more than his cane after one of the men pulled a knife on him in an attempt to rob the 24-hour convenience store in Okemos. 

According to the Ingham County Sherriff’s Department’s police report, DaRoza said the two men arrived at approximately 1:15 a.m. and asked to use the restroom at the store, located at 4010 Holbrook Drive.

According to the police report, DaRoza then went behind the counter to get the key to the bathroom but was followed by one of the suspects, local resident Timothy Keel, 19, who then allegedly pulled out a knife.

DaRoza, who was still wearing a cast due to an injury he had suffered recently, used his cane to bludgeon Keel, hitting him repeatedly in the face, according to the police report.  

The blows caused Keel to fall to the floor, which is when the suspect still at large attempted to grab the cane from DaRoza, who proceeded to beat him with it, causing the suspect to flee, according to the police report.

A customer then entered and helped DaRoza tie Keel up using their belts to secure him until police arrived, according to the police report. 

Keel is now in police custody and is suffering from a broken nose and jaw from the beating he took at the hands of DaRoza. Keel is being charged with armed robbery and resisting a merchant, according to the police report. 

The police also said to be on the lookout for a brown, ’94, two-door Toyota Celica which the second suspect fled in.  
**** 
Here's another one worth reviewing: 

**** 

This morning a store clerk in Okemos apprehended one of the men who tried to rob the 24-hour establishment.

Terry DaRoza a full-time clerk at the Jiffy Foods, 4010 Holbrook Drive, subdued an armed assailant at approximately 1:15 this morning and with the help of a customer tied him up until police arrived.

DaRoza stated that he was cleaning a popcorn machine when two men entered Jiffy Foods around 1:15 a.m., according to an Ingham County Sheriff's Department report. 

They asked to use the restroom, and when he went to get the key from behind the counter one of the men allegedly pulled a knife, the report said.

The man who allegedly pulled the knife has been identified as Timothy Keel, the report said.

DaRoza uses a cane due to his leg being in a cast from a recent injury he obtained at construction job accident, the report said

DaRoza said that he swung his cane multiple times as hard as he could at Keel's face, according to the report.

Paramedics said that Keel's jaw, nose, and other bones in his face were broken, according to the report. 

At this time the unidentified second suspect attempted to grab DaRoza's cane, at which point DaRoza began to hit the suspect with his cane, the report said.

As the second suspect fled, Stuart Adler entered Jiffy Foods and proceeded to help DaRoza bind Keel with their belts, the report said.

Officers from the Ingham County Sheriff's Department arrived on scene around 1:30 a.m., the report said.

  

DaRoza said he was not injured in the incident, according to the report.

Keel was charged with armed robbery and resisting a merchant, the report said.

Police: Allegedly!

Especially when reporting on crime and courts, it's hard to use the word allegedly enough. At the time accusations are made, they are alleged; that is, they have yet to be proven in a court of law.

So, it's important that we properly attribute things as being alleged.

For example, it's not alleged that Timothy Keel entered the store. He has a face full of broken bones proving he was there. And it's not a crime to get your ass kicked (though it may be a crime to do the ass-kicking).

What is alleged is whether he pulled a knife, and tried to commit a crime.

So, where does allegedly fit in here?

DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and exposed a knife.

Before "exposed a knife," right? Like this:


DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and allegedly exposed a knife.

When something is being alleged, do use allegedly. And when in doubt, be safe and use allegedly. 

911: Overall

Many of us did a very nice job with structure, but we struggled with the use of allegedly and proper attribution.

Until someone is convicted in court, any criminal or lawsuit-related actions are alleged. We need to liberally use alleged when referring to actions that are illegal, and we need to cite from where we are getting that allegation.

For example, if we write, Omar killed a squirrel, for libel purposes we take responsibility for claiming I killed a squirrel. We are saying it definitely happened and we can prove it.

It doesn't help that much if we say, Omar allegedly killed a squirrel, because if that's all we wrote, from a libel standpoint we are making the claim ourselves, without further evidence.

We need to attribute the allegation, not just for libel purposes but also so the audience sees from whom we're getting that from, and how we know that. The correct way would be, Omar allegedly killed a squirrel, police said.

Also, in this exercise it wasn't enough to say the dispatcher said or the girl said. That's because we didn't speak with them; we only know what they said because of the 911 call transcript.

If we just said, the girl said, we leave the impression with the reader that is what the girl told us. That's not correct, though. We only know because that's what she said in the transcript. So, proper attribution would be, the girl said, according to the 911 call transcript.

And yes, we need to be consistent in attributing like that, because the reader doesn't know if we used a mix of transcript-related quotes and our own interviews in putting together the story. Proper attribution makes that clear.  

911: Typical Examples ...

... of our work on this one. Again, nice job with structure, but we could do a lot better with attribution and the use of allegedly. Here are a couple of examples, with my comments in BOLD CAPS:

East Lansing resident Andrew Caspinwall was arrested today on a rape charge after a 6-year-old called 911 during the ALLEGED attack.

            The girl’s mother was the victim and the girl called the police after Caspinwall ALLEGEDLY entered their home.

            “My mommy needs help,” the girl told the dispatcher. ACCORDING TO A TRANSCRIPT OF THE 911 CALL. ATTRIBUTE!  “Somebody’s hurting my mommy.”

            The girl went on to tell the dispatcher where she lived and that the attacker had ALLEGEDLY come through the back door and hit her mommy, OUTSIDE OF QUOTES, WE CAN SAY MOTHER INSTEAD OF THE MORE CONVERSATIONAL MOMMY according to the call transcript.

            She then locked herself in her parent’s PARENTS’, STED PARENT’S room upstairs upon the request of the dispatcher COMMA HERE according to the call transcript.

            The dispatcher then asked if the attacker had a gun and the girl responded saying, “No.  A knife,” according to the call transcript.  

            After that, the dispatcher stayed on the phone and calmed the girl down until the police arrived, according to the call transcript.  

            The victim was taken to the hospital when the police arrived, according to the transcript.

            Caspinwall is currently being held in the county jail with a bail set at $250,000.

******

... and ...

******

A man was arrested in East Lansing today when a 6-year-old girl reported his ALLEGED attack on her mother to a 911 operator.

            Twenty-four-year-old Andrew Caspinwall of 416 Wilson Ave. is being held in the Ingham County Jail on a charge of rape.  His bail is set at $250,000. 

            According to the transcript of the 6-year-old’s 911 call, Caspinwall was ALLEGEDLY armed with a knife when he entered the back door of her home and hit her mother.

            The young girl told the dispatcher that, unbeknownst to Caspinwall, she hid upstairs under her parents’ bed, where she could hear her mother crying as the ALLEGED assault occurred. ACCORDING TO THE TRANSCRIPT. ATTRIBUTE!

            The dispatcher proceeded to tell the 6-year-old to lock the bedroom door, and that three police cars were coming to help her mother. ACCORDING TO THE TRANSCRIPT. ATTRIBUTE!

            Police arrived shortly after and arranged to take the young girl’s mother to the hospital, the call transcript revealed. SAID, STED REVEALED The girl’s father was also on his way after the police managed to locate him. 

            Once Caspinwall was caught and arrested, the 911 dispatcher instructed the 6-year-old girl to unlock the bedroom door and go downstairs to speak with the authorities. ACCORDING TO THE TRANSCRIPT. ATTRIBUTE!

911: Allegedly

First, we need to liberally and frequently use alleged and allegedly in our story. Up to now, everything is lleged and nothing has been proven in a court of law. So Andrew Caspinwall is the alleged suspect. Caspinwall allegedly broke into the home. He allegedly wielded a knife. He allegedly raped the victim. We can't really overdose on forms of the word alleged. 

Second, there is some confusion on what was alleged here.

Is it alleged that the woman was raped? No. She was raped. Someone broke into her house and raped her. That much was clearly established.

What is alleged is who raped her. A man did, obviously. But it's alleged that it was Andrew Caspinwall. That is the issue for courts to consider, and why he is in jail.

So you should say Caspinwall allegedly raped the victim. Or the victim was raped, allegedly by Caspinwall. Or that the girl said a man, alleged to be Caspinwall, did this and that.

Is Caspinwall allegedly charged with rape? No. He is charged with rape. That's the name of the charge he's facing. It's a bit confusing in this exercise because the name of the charge and the action he is alleged to have done are the same: rape.

So, let's imagine instead of allegedly raping the woman, Caspinwall stabbed her to death. Caspinwall would be charged with murder, since that's the name of the charge which he will face in court. He's a murder defendant. The charge of murder came because he allegedly stabbed a woman to death.

The action is alleged. The charge is simply the label of the law which he is alleged to have broken. The things that need the qualification of alleged are the identity and actions of the suspect, not the name of the actual charge they're facing.

I know this is confusing. Does this help?

Lawsuit: A Good Example

Consistent attribution, consistent use of allegedly and a lede/nut graf sequence that zeroes in on the main point:

 

Two parents are suing the Kennedy High School principal, superintendent, and East Lansing School District for $500,000 in Ingham County Circuit Court for the alleged faulty education of their son.

Parents Thaddeus and Laura Dowdell allege that their son James Dowdell has not learned enough to be graduated from high school and that this is the failure of Principal Marvin Ferrell, Superintendent Greg Hubbard and the school district.

James Dowdell, who has attended Kennedy High School for the past three years, has allegedly been told that he will graduate from the school on or around the beginning of next June, according to the lawsuit.

The problem is that James Dowdell’s parents allege that he can barely read or do simple arithmetic and has not learned enough to be graduated from high school or to successfully function in a society as complex as ours, according to the lawsuit. 

Thaddeus and Laura Dowdell allege that the fault does not lie with son James, who according to tests administered by guidance counselors at Kennedy High School has an average IQ of 94, according to the lawsuit. 

The Dowdells allege that it is the failure of the defendants to employ competent teachers, to maintain discipline, to provide remedial help and to provide an atmosphere in which learning might take place, according to the lawsuit.

Along with $500,000 in compensatory damages, the Dowdells are also demanding that James Dowdell be retained at the high school until he further masters the skills expected of a high school graduate, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are also demanding a trial by jury, according to the lawsuit.

Lawsuit: Allegedly

Like we've discussed before, in a lawsuit anyone can allege anything. So it's extra-important to note things are alleged.

The district didn't fail to adequately educate James Dowdell. They allegedly failed to adequately educate Dowdell. We won't know whether that's true or not until the trial takes place and evidence is presented.

Also, what is being alleged is what, specifically, is being said; not that something is being said.

What I mean is, it's not that the Dowdells allegedly said their child received an insufficient education; that is what they said. What is being alleged is the substance of the claim, so better placement of allegedly would be, the Dowdells said their child allegedly received an insufficient education.

Let's be sure to liberally use the word alleged since what is being alleged has yet to be proven in court and can be considered libelous given the claims of ill-repute being made.

In any instance where one side is making claims about the conduct of the other side that are disparaging or indicate criminal action, please use alleged.

Police: Some Good Examples

Note a good lede that gets to what the latest news is, a strong nut graf that sums up what happened that brought us to the point of the lede, short paragraphs with each turn of events getting itss own graf, and good and consistent attribution throughout:

One man is in police custody and another is on the loose after the duo’s attempted robbery of a 24-hour convenience store went awry early this morning.

Jiffy Foods employee Terry DaRoza managed to fend off two men with nothing more than his cane after one of the men pulled a knife on him in an attempt to rob the 24-hour convenience store in Okemos. 

According to the Ingham County Sherriff’s Department’s police report, DaRoza said the two men arrived at approximately 1:15 a.m. and asked to use the restroom at the store, located at 4010 Holbrook Drive.

According to the police report, DaRoza then went behind the counter to get the key to the bathroom but was followed by one of the suspects, local resident Timothy Keel, 19, who then allegedly pulled out a knife.

DaRoza, who was still wearing a cast due to an injury he had suffered recently, used his cane to bludgeon Keel, hitting him repeatedly in the face, according to the police report.  

The blows caused Keel to fall to the floor, which is when the suspect still at large attempted to grab the cane from DaRoza, who proceeded to beat him with it, causing the suspect to flee, according to the police report.

A customer then entered and helped DaRoza tie Keel up using their belts to secure him until police arrived, according to the police report. 

Keel is now in police custody and is suffering from a broken nose and jaw from the beating he took at the hands of DaRoza. Keel is being charged with armed robbery and resisting a merchant, according to the police report. 

The police also said to be on the lookout for a brown, ’94, two-door Toyota Celica which the second suspect fled in. 
****
Here's another one worth reviewing:

****

This morning a store clerk in Okemos apprehended one of the men who tried to rob the 24-hour establishment.

Terry DaRoza a full-time clerk at the Jiffy Foods, 4010 Holbrook Drive, subdued an armed assailant at approximately 1:15 this morning and with the help of a customer tied him up until police arrived.

DaRoza stated that he was cleaning a popcorn machine when two men entered Jiffy Foods around 1:15 a.m., according to an Ingham County Sheriff's Department report. 

They asked to use the restroom, and when he went to get the key from behind the counter one of the men allegedly pulled a knife, the report said.

The man who allegedly pulled the knife has been identified as Timothy Keel, the report said.

DaRoza uses a cane due to his leg being in a cast from a recent injury he obtained at construction job accident, the report said

DaRoza said that he swung his cane multiple times as hard as he could at Keel's face, according to the report.

Paramedics said that Keel's jaw, nose, and other bones in his face were broken, according to the report. 

At this time the unidentified second suspect attempted to grab DaRoza's cane, at which point DaRoza began to hit the suspect with his cane, the report said.

As the second suspect fled, Stuart Adler entered Jiffy Foods and proceeded to help DaRoza bind Keel with their belts, the report said.

Officers from the Ingham County Sheriff's Department arrived on scene around 1:30 a.m., the report said.

 

DaRoza said he was not injured in the incident, according to the report.

Keel was charged with armed robbery and resisting a merchant, the report said.

Police: Allegedly!

Especially when reporting on crime and courts, it's hard to use the word allegedly enough. At the time accusations are made, they are alleged; that is, thaey have yet to be proven in a court of law.

So, it's important that we properly attribute things as being alleged.

For example, it's not alleged that Timothy Keel entered the store. He has a face full of broken bones proving he was there. And it's not a crime to get your ass kicked (though it may be a crime to do the ass-kicking).

What is alleged is whether he pulled a knife, and tried to commit a crime.

So, where does allegedly fit in here?

DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and exposed a knife.

Before "exposed a knife," right? Like this:


DaRoza walked behind the counter for the key to the restroom when Keel followed him and allegedly exposed a knife.

When something is being alleged, do use allegedly. And when in doubt, be safe and use allegedly.

Lawsuit: A Good Example

Consistent attribution, consistent use of allegedly and a lede/nut graf sequence that zeroes in on the main point:

-->

Two parents are suing the Kennedy High School principal, superintendent, and East Lansing School District for $500,000 in Ingham County Circuit Court.

Parents Thaddeus and Laura Dowdell allege that their son James Dowdell has not learned enough to be graduated from high school and that this is the failure of Principal Marvin Ferrell, Superintendent Greg Hubbard and the school district.

James Dowdell, who has attended Kennedy High School for the past three years, has allegedly been told that he will graduate from the school on or around the beginning of next June, according to the lawsuit.

The problem is that James Dowdell’s parents allege that he can barely read or do simple arithmetic and has not learned enough to be graduated from high school or to successfully function in a society as complex as ours, according to the lawsuit. 

Thaddeus and Laura Dowdell allege that the fault does not lie with son James, who according to tests administered by guidance counselors at Kennedy High School has an average IQ of 94, according to the lawsuit. 

The Dowdells allege that it is the failure of the defendants to employ competent teachers, to maintain discipline, to provide remedial help and to provide an atmosphere in which learning might take place, according to the lawsuit.

Along with $500,000 in compensatory damages, the Dowdells are also demanding that James Dowdell be retained at the high school until he further masters the skills expected of a high school graduate, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are also demanding a trial by jury, according to the lawsuit.