The mother of a special needs student has filed a lawsuit against Fayette County Public Schools saying a para-educator punched the student in the face.
The lawsuit filed April 28 names James Coleman as the aide assigned to help the then-12-year-old girl on a daily basis. It states that in April 2015, Coleman's loud conversation triggered the girl's tics, causing the girl to slap him. The complaint says Coleman responded by punching the child in the face, knocking out two teeth, instead of "employing appropriate response mechanisms." Plaintiff's attorneys released video footage Tuesday.
Coleman was fired from the school district in May 2015. He was found not guilty on charges related to the incident in a 2016 jury trial.
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages.