ESKIMOS.
AT EVENING, THE CENTRAL HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS ADMITTED TO
ASSAULTING A TEACHER HAS BEEN
SENTENCED.
A COUNTY JUDGE SIX JUDGE
16-YEAR-OLD TO TO 90 DAYS OF
ELECTRONIC HOME MONITORING
UNSUPERVISED PROBATION.
TODAY, WE ARE GETTING OUR FIRST
LOOK AT THE FIGHT IN THE
LUNCHROOM, THAT STARTED THE
WHOLE THING.
THAT FIGHT LEFT A TEACHER JOHN
WITH A HEAD INJURY AND HEARING
LOSS.
ANGELA DAVIS SPOKE WITH HIS
MOTHER AND HIS ATTORNEY TODAY,
WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO SAY?
REPORTER:  THAT STUDENT, HE
IS ESSENTIALLY UNDER HOUSE
ARREST AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO
THIRD-DEGREE FELONY ASSAULT.
HE MUST ALSO UNDERGO COUNSELING
AND COMPLETE 150 HOURS OF
COMMUNITY SERVICE.
JUDGE JAMES CLARK AGREED WITH
THE PROBATION OFFICER IN THE
CASE, AND CHOSE TO SEND THE
TEENAGER HOME, RATHER TO --
THEN TO A ROOM TREATMENT
FACILITY WHICH WAS THE
RECOMMENDATION OF THE COUNTY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THIS IS BEEN VERY BAD FOR
HIM, HE HAS HURT, HE IS
DISAPPOINTED. HE IS VERY, VERY
HUMBLE AND APOLOGETIC.
REPORTER:  PONTE'S MOTHER TOLD
US HE REGRETS WHAT HAPPENED BUT
SHE BELIEVES HE IS NOT THE ONLY
ONE GUILTY OF
WRONGDOING.
SHE IS UPSET THAT THE STAFF AT
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DID NOT
CALL HER TO INFORM HER OF THE
FIGHT.
INSTEAD, SHE SAYS SAYS SHE GOT
A CALL FROM THE POLICE, THREE
HOURS LATER.
HE IS NOT THE PERFECT KID,
BUT HE IS NOT A VIOLENT KID.
REPORTER:  THIS VIDEO, SHOT
ON A CELL PHONE CAMERA, SHOWS
THE FIRST MOMENTS OF THE FIGHT.
HIS MOTHER SAYS HE WAS
DEFENDING HIS YOUNGER BROTHER,
WHO GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH AN
OLDER STUDENT.
HE IS THE ONE WITH THE ORANGE
BACKPACK TEACHER JOHN, HAS
SHORT BLOND HAIR.
THE STUDENT'S STUDENTS MOTHER,
QUESTIONS HOW THE TEACHER
HANDLED THE SITUATION.
THAT WHOLE THING HE DID BY
CHOKING HIM AND SLINGING HEAD
FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND HIM
THROWING HIM INTO THE TROPHY
CASE, THAT WAS NOT A POLICY OF
ST. PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
REPORTER:  DIANE DODD IS A
PUBLIC DEFENDER ASSIGNED TO HIS
CASE.
HE SAYS HE HAS NO PRIOR HISTORY
OF ASSAULT.
BEFORE THE JUDGE GAVE HIS
DECISION, HE BASICALLY SAID TO
HIM, LOOK, YOU ARE AT A LACK OF
JUDGMENT, THAT IS BASICALLY
WHAT PSYCHOLOGISTS TELL US
ABOUT JUVENILES. YOUR BRAIN IS
NOT FULLY DEVELOPED YET.
REPORTER:  SHE HAS SEEN VIDEO
OF THE FIGHT.
FROM A PROSECUTOR'S
PERSPECTIVE, IS THAT THE
TEACHER IS TRYING TO CONTROL,
MY CLIENT, BUT MY CLIENT AND MY
PERSPECTIVE IS THAT MY CLIENT
FELT LIKE HE WAS BEING ATTACKED
BY THE TEACHER.
REPORTER:  HIS MOTHER TOLD ME
THAT SHE PLANS TO SUE THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR FAILING TO
PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR
STUDENTS, AND WANTS TO SEE
ASSAULT CHARGES AGAINST TEACHER
JOHN, BECAUSE SHE BELIEVES HE
USED
FORCE FIRST AND CAUSE A
SITUATION TO ESCALATE, RATHER
THAN CALM DOWN.
MEANWHILE, THE TEACHER IS ALSO
PLANNING TO SUE ST. PAUL PUBLIC
SCHOOLS OVER THIS INCIDENT,
CLAIMING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS
FAILED TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE
SCHOOL VIOLENCE DESPITE HAVING
KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEMS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL END
UP BACK IN COURT ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER.
REPORTER:  IT'S COMPLICATED.
DOES THE TEACHER HAVE
COMPLAINTS AGAINST HIM, DO WE
KNOW?
REPORTER:  SHE SAYS THE HUMAN
RESOURCES RECORDS SHOW THAT
JOHN HAS HAD TWO WRITTEN
REPRIMANDS FROM 2003 AND 2004.
SHE CANNOT DISCLOSE THE DETAILS
COME AT THIS TIME.
HE HAS AT THIS TIME.
HE HAS BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT
FOR 21 YEARS.
HE TEACHES PHYSICAL SCIENCE AND
PHYSICS, AND HAS BEEN A PART OF
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL SAFETY
