Plaintiffs in $30 million Hoover football lawsuit claim judge has family ties to team, school

Two former Hoover High School football players who filed a $30 million lawsuit against the district and their former coaches is calling on the judge assigned to the case to recuse himself, claiming several family connections to the defendants.

“Plaintiffs hereby request the recusal of Judge Reginald L. Jeter (Jeter) from this case due to a familial and conflicting relationship with one or more of the Defendants,” states the recusal motion filed Friday in the Bessemer Division of Jefferson County Circuit Court.

“Specifically, upon information and belief, Dr. Autumn Jeter, spouse of Judge Reginald Jeter, worked as Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Hoover City Schools. Mrs. Jeter is now believed to be employed as Assistant State Superintendent for the Alabama Department of Education.

“Mrs. Jeter has been in education for approximately 20 years, at least 12 of which she worked administratively at the school level as assistant principal (high school), principal (elementary) and, prior to that, a middle and high school teacher.

“Judge Jeter’s relationship and familial connection to the Hoover School System presents a conflict of interest and poses a significant risk of bias, whether actual or perceived, in the adjudication of this case against Hoover City Schools and its officials whether in their official capacity or individually,” the motion continues.

Autumn Jeter’s connections to the defendants is not the family’s only ties to the defendants, according to the recusal motion.

“Furthermore, and even more bias, prejudicial and conflicting is the fact that Judge Jeter’s son, ‘J. J.’ is believed to have played football at defendant Hoover High School, in the 2024 football season which is football season complained of in this legal action. It is also believed that an older, ‘J.J.’ attended Hoover City Schools,” the motion goes on to claim.

The lawsuit, filed in December Jefferson County Circuit Court by the guardians of the alleged victims -- identified in court filings by their initials, D.G. and D.L. -- alleged the Hoover Board of Education was negligent in the hiring of Drew Gilmer and Adam Helms.

Videos of the practice went viral after they were posted online, leading the board to put Gilmer and Helms on administrative leave before the coaches resigned days later in August.

The video, leaked from a Hoover high practice, showed two encounters between Hoover coaches and individual players that led to the decisions. In the first encounter, the coach appeared to thrust his groin onto the head of the player, who was on the ground.

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Judge Jeter has not responded or ruled on the motion as of Friday afternoon.

The lawsuit claimed a thorough background check of Gilmer and Helms would have turned up the coaches’ “abusive history.”

“At no time did the Board and/or its members, Maddox, or Lamey conduct a thorough employment history of Gilmer and the numerous complaints against Gilmer and his abusive conduct of student athletes that was well known in the community and at each prior school where he coached,” the lawsuit continued.

“If so, they intentionally ignored the warning signs of Coach Gilmer’s irrational and extensive abusive conduct history and negligently and/or with reckless and wanton behavior chose to hire Gilmer and Helms knowing the risk and foreseeability that Gilmer and Helms’s abusive conduct towards student athletes would result in and cause injury and harm to students as suffered by the minor plaintiffs.”

The lawsuit seeks $10 million for an assault and battery claim, $10 million for emotional distress and mental anguish and $10 million on the claim of negligent hiring, training, supervision, monitoring and retention.

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