Ja Morant files to dismiss lawsuit, citing self-defense; Tee Morant deposition adds context

Attorneys representing Grizzlies star Ja Morant on Monday filed a motion to dismiss an ongoing civil suit filed after an altercation between the point guard and a teenage basketball player last year.

The motion cites Tennessee's self-defense immunity statute, and attorneys argued Morant acted in self-defense when he punched then-17-year-old Josh Holloway during a pick-up basketball game at Morant's home in Eads.

"Morant acted in self-defense when [Josh Holloway] intentionally struck him in the face with a basketball at Mr. Morant’s family home last July,” the motion to dismiss read. “He therefore enjoys civil immunity under the [Self-Defense Immunity] Statute.”

In the motion, Morant's attorneys argue that the punch thrown by the Grizzlies player after being hit in the face with a basketball was "only to the extent necessary to protect himself from further harm." They also said Morant hit Holloway once "and not hard enough even to knock him down."

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The motion, according to the attorneys, requires a hearing within 40 days of filing and that all other aspects of the civil case are to be paused. They requested both of these "procedural protections" in the filing.

The hearing requested through the motion would only feature arguments about whether Morant acted in self-defense after being hit by the ball.

In the motion to dismiss, attorneys requested "the mandatory damages that the [Self-Defense Immunity] Statute affords [Morant]: an award of attorney fees, costs, lost income and expenses."

The lawsuit was filed by Holloway in September of last year, months after Morant allegedly punched the teen for throwing a basketball at his face. Morant's long-time friend, Davonte Pack, also is accused of punching the teen.

More depositions filed add more context to altercation

More depositions have been filed in the case, including testimony from Morant's father, Tee Morant.

Tee Morant, who was moving between the basketball court and the kitchen as he was cooking for all of the attendees, said he encouraged Holloway to "go at Ja" during the game.

"I was telling Josh to go at Ja … act like he’s not an NBA player as far as confidence purposes," Morant said. "‘You’re going to Oak Hill. So once you get there, if you can compete against Ja at this level – once you get there, it should be easier."

Morant told Holloway's attorneys Rebecca Adelman and Leslie Ballin that he "didn’t think [the altercation] was that serious."

He also shed some light on interactions he had with Holloway's parents over the phone following the altercation.

When Morant walked Holloway to the car, he said the teen was "irate" and he asked for Holloway to call his father, Stevie Holloway. When he did, Morant said the two parents were "in agreeance" on having the two basketball players sit down and work out their differences.

"I was pretty much telling [Stevie Holloway] what [other witnesses] said happened," Tee Morant said. "I was telling him I was trying to calm Josh down so he can go back there and talk with Ja to squash whatever it was. And his dad was in agreeance and he was like, 'We got to sit them down as men because things like that happen.'"

Morant said he had a different type of conversation with Josh Holloway's mother, Myca Holloway. Myca Holloway called Tee Morant later that evening, he said.

"She was basically asking me what happened," he said. "I was telling her, and then telling her that I had the conversation with her husband, [Josh Holloway's] dad. I told her I talked with him to make sure he was straight. Then the phone conversation started getting a little too aggressive, so I was like, 'Yeah, I’m not doing this.'"

Morant said Myca Holloway "got irate and started cursing and stuff on the phone." After that, he said he understood her anger with kids being involved, but said "you're not going to talk to me like that on my phone."

Other depositions included those from Alexander Ndon-Blue and Christopher "Chip" Brunt. Both are friends with Ja Morant and Pack.

The two friends and Tee Morant, all testified that they heard Josh Holloway threaten, in some form, to shoot at the Morant household.

More: A timeline of events and incidents before Ja Morant's latest suspension

Ndon-Blue, Brunt testimony sheds light on other Ja Morant controversies

Both Ndon-Blue and Brunt said they were in the car with Ja Morant and Pack when Morant flashed what appeared to be a handgun on Pack's Instagram Live.

Ndon-Blue said he did not believe the gun was real, saying he was told it was a lighter. Pack, in his deposition, also said the gun was a lighter.

Adelman, in her questioning, asked if there were candles or "smokeables" in the car, to which both Brunt and Ndon-Blue said there were not.

Ndon-Blue said he did not think the Instagram Live incident was a big deal until it went viral.

"It wasn’t a situation, a big deal," Ndon-Blue said. "That is why I don’t think the gun was real. I believe it was a toy too. Because if it was [real] – especially after the first incident, I think it kind of would have been a pretty bigger deal if he was pulling a gun out around that many people."

Brunt said the Instagram Live was started because Morant was "dancing on top of his car" when they were at a graduation party. Brunt also said he did not see the alleged gun, saying his "head was in [his] phone."

Another incident that landed Morant in hot water was an altercation that took place at the Wolfchase Galleria a few days before the incident at the basketball court.

The incident took place between a Footlocker employee, a mall security guard and Morant. Ndon-Blue said he was in the car while the group was in the mall, but he saw the aftermath.

"When [the group] came [out of the mall], when I saw everybody rushing outside, everybody was panicking," he said. "It was pretty much a scuffle with security...The security guard was yelling my name, calling my name, 'Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue.' I went up to the door to see what he was calling my name for, and they were just arguing and fussing."

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ja Morant attorney's file to dismiss lawsuit, cite self defense