Attorney argues for former Panther Creek assistant principal after unsettling video
THE WRAL APP ON YOUR TV OR
STREAMING DEVICE.
>> AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
CAUGHT ON CAMERA RESTRAINING A
WAKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
APPEARING TO BE RESTRAINING
THAT STUDENT WITH A KNEE ON
THE STUDENT'S NECK. THIS IMAGE
THROUGH EMOTIONAL REACTIONS.
WE HEARD A LOT OF THEM.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE NEVER HEARD
FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S
THE SIDE OF THE STORY FROM THAT
PRINCIPLE. UNTIL NOW, HIS
ATTORNEY TALK TO WRAL'S ADAM
OWENS TODAY AND ADAM JOINS US
LIVE FROM KERRY WITH WHAT WE
LEARNED AT.
>> DAVID, THAT ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL JONATHAN CHANG, HE
HAD WORK HERE AT PANTHER CREEK
HIGH SCHOOL FOR MANY YEARS.
WE'RE TOLD IT IS VERY HARD FOR
HIM TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED. BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO
SHARE HIS SIDE OF THE STORY
THROUGH HIS ATTORNEY. IT ALL
STARTED BACK IN DECEMBER WITH
VIDEO RECORDED TO A CELL PHONE.
>> MANY WERE OUTRAGED WHEN THEY
SAW THIS VIDEO. PANTHER CREEK
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL JONATHAN
CHANGE. THE PERSON ON THE RIGHT
USING HIS NEED TO HELP AN
OFFICER RESTRAIN A STUDENT.
HIS ATTORNEY HEART MILES SAYS
IT DIDN'T LOOK GOOD. WHAT WAS
YOUR PERSONAL REACTION TO IT?
>> WELL, MY REACTION WAS THAT
THE OPTICS WERE BAD.
>> GIVEN WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE
MEDIA WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE
CASES WITH POLICE. SOME DREW
COMPARISONS TO THE GEORGE FLOYD
CASE. WHEN THE VIDEO FIRST
SURFACED, THE NORTH CAROLINA
ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS TOLD
US WHAT IT SHOWED WAS
UNACCEPTABLE AND SAID NO
TRAINING RECOMMENDED
RESTRAINING A STUDENT THIS WAY.
>> BUT MILES SAYS THIS. 24 0ND
CELL PHONE VIDEO IS ONLY ONE
ANGLE AND ONE SIDE OF THE
STORY. HE SAYS SCHOOL
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA ANGLES.
HE HAS SEEN ALSO CAUGHT WHAT
HAPPENED AND HIS KNEE WAS ON
THE UPPER BACK. IT WAS NEAR
THE NECK
>> BUT NOT DIRECTLY ON THAT.
AND THEN THERE IS WHAT LED UP
TO THAT CELL PHONE VIDEO MILE
SAYS THE STUDENT ON THE GROUND
WANTED TO FIGHT ANOTHER STUDENT
AND CHAIN JUMPED IN TO HELP
THE OFFICER. THE STUDENT.
>> PUSHES. OR ASSAULTS THE
OFFICER ON 2 DIFFERENT
OCCASIONS, SHOVING HIM HARD
TWICE. CARY POLICE INVESTIGATED
THE CASE. THEY SAY THAT IS NOW
COMPLETE AND NO CRIMINAL
CHARGES ARE PENDING OR
ANTICIPATED AGAINST CHANGE.
THEY SAY THE SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICER IN THE VIDEO ALSO
CONTINUES TO SERVE AT PANTHER
CREEK HIGH SCHOOL. THE WAKE
COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO
INVESTIGATED. THEY SAY STATE
LAW PROHIBITS THEM FROM SHARING
WHAT THEY FELT. THEY ALSO
CANNOT SHARE THE SCHOOL
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, BIG
TALENTS.
>> BUT CHANGE STILL WORKS FOR
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THEIR
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE. THEY
DID NOT DISMISS OR DEMOTE
MISTER CHANG, BUT THEY DID
REASSIGN HIM TO ANOTHER JOB.
JAMES ATTORNEY SAYS HE WOULD
RATHER BE BACK WITH HIS
STUDENTS. HE SAD ABOUT. LOSING
PANTHER CREEK.
>> AS WE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED,
NEITHER THE STUDENT CHANGE OR
THAT OFFICER WERE INJURED
CHAINS CONTRACT WITH WAKE
COUNTY SCHOOLS COMES UP IN
ABOUT 2 YEARS. AND DAVID, HE'S
NOT SURE WHAT HE PLANS TO DO
WHEN THAT HAPPENS. ALSO REACH
BACK OUT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA
ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS TO SEE
IF THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE
STATEMENT THEY RELEASED TO US
BACK IN DECEMBER. WE'VE YET TO