PITTSBURGH _ The Woodland Hills principal who was recorded threatening to punch a student said he has been "mischaracterized and misunderstood."
Kevin Murray and his attorney, Phil DiLucente, held a news conference Tuesday morning to address the allegations made by a 14-year-old student, who brought the cellphone recording of the April incident to the school district's attention before Thanksgiving.
In the recording, a man identified as Murray can be heard threatening to punch the teen and knock his teeth out. Later, Murray threatens that if the matter were to go to court, his word would be believed over the student's "every time."
"He is not some heartless, aggressive or bad principal," DiLucente said, sitting next to Murray in his office. "He is quite the opposite."
Murray has been on administrative leave since Wednesday while the Woodland Hills School District and the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office investigate.
DiLucente described his client as a "disciplinarian" with more than 20 years of experience as an educator and football coach.
The audio was taken out of context and not played in its entirety, DiLucente said. And he questioned why it took so long for the student to come forward and why it was disseminated the way it was.
Todd Hollis, the attorney representing the boy, released the recording last week.
"It is a little disheartening how this all developed," DiLucente said.
