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Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009

Nicholas principal suspended; mother wants criminal charges

The Nicholas County High School principal who was placed on leave last week after an incident with a student has been suspended.

Nicholas County school spokesman Hank Bond declined to answer any questions in relation to Joseph Orazen after the school released a statement Wednesday afternoon that said the district will make no other comment or answer any questions "until due process has been served."

"Mr. Joe Orazen is suspended, and he has a right to request a hearing from the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education," the statement said.

The student, Dusty Green, 15, has been suspended for 10 days, said his mother, Michelle Green of Carlisle.

Michelle Green said she is outraged and wants criminal charges filed against Orazen. She said she has not yet hired a lawyer.

"I'm mad," she said. "I'm anxious for the criminal proceedings to go forward."

Orazen did not return calls for comment.

On Tuesday, WLEX-TV (Channel 18) released surveillance footage, saying it arrived in an unmarked package. The video shows a confrontation outdoors between a male student and a man, and WLEX reporters identified them as Orazen and Dusty Green. The footage shows the man wrapping his arms around the student, scooping him up and slamming him to the ground.

Orazen previously taught at Lexington's Henry Clay High School and was an assistant football coach there, according to Herald-Leader archives.

Michelle Green declined to discuss details about the confrontation.

"I want to make sure that I in no way compromise the criminal proceeding," she said.

Carlisle police confirmed Wednesday that they are investigating the incident. Chief William Denton said the department became involved Feb. 10 after a school resource officer, who was not on campus at the time, called police.

Denton referred questions about the case to the sergeant in charge of the investigation. But the sergeant could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The case is being handled by Harrison County Attorney Charles Kuster because Nicholas County Attorney Dawn Letcher is the school board's attorney.

Kuster said he received noticed of his appointment as special prosecutor earlier this week. He declined to comment on the case Wednesday other than to say that no charges had been filed.