Private Schools Hired Brothers Despite Criminal Past, WFTV, October 9, 2006

Private Schools Hired Brothers Despite Criminal Past

WFTV
October 9, 2006

http://www.wftv.com/news/10037923/detail.html

Orlando, Fla. -- Two coaches, who are real-life brothers, were both accused of questionable acts and have arrest records. Eyewitness News has learned Central Florida private schools hired both of them anyway.

One of the schools was meeting with concerned parents Monday night after William "Buck" Lanham was arrested Thursday night for a sex tape, deputies said, he made with a teenage student.

Monday night, the school principal at Orlando Christian Prep was meeting with parents, presumably to answer their questions about the accusations. But Monday, the principal hung up on Channel 9 reporter Jodie Fleischer when she asked about the school's policy on background checks.

Eyewitness News found both coaches were hired despite a long list of run-ins with police. Both brothers are winning coaches, first at Bishop Moore Catholic High School and then later at Orlando Christian Prep.

But Eyewitness News found both have lengthy criminal histories, dating back to before they were hired by the Catholic Diocese.

"Hopefully background checks are being done on all these employees, no matter how good of a coach you are," said Sgt. Rich Mankewich, Orange County Sheriff's Office.

In 1988, Buck Lanham was convicted of trafficking cocaine. Then, while coaching at Bishop Moore, a student accused him of hitting her on several occasions, even filing police reports and a court injunction saying he threw a chair across the room at her, and was seen hiding in the family's bushes peeking in their windows. The Diocese fired Buck Lanham for it later that year.

That's when his brother, Jeff, took over coaching. His history includes at least seven arrests on charges ranging from rape and kidnapping in 1994 to burglary, battery and even stalking of the Bishop Moore principal, who fired him after learning of his criminal past. Court documents refer to threatening messages telling her, "You will burn in hell. This is Satan. Your time is coming."

"You'd hope, when you drop your kids off at school, it's the one place they're gonna be safe," Mankewich said.

The criminal history came to light after detectives arrested Buck Lanham on Thursday, saying he had a four-year sexual relationship with a basketball player on his team, even videotaping it. He was out of jail Monday and on home confinement, but refused to answer the door and Channel 9 questions.

Until last week, both Lanham brothers were coaching at Orlando Christian Prep. The school would not tell Channel 9 whether the coaches' backgrounds were checked or if the school chose to ignore the criminal records.

"I hope that's not the case. Maybe it's one of those that just slipped through the cracks. I don't know," Mankewich said.

As of this year, the Department of Education requires both of the schools to do background checks, but that's no consolation to parents at Orlando Christian Prep. Many refused to talk on camera, fearing repercussions from the church.