Crime & Safety
No Charges To Be Filed Against Coleman Middle School Principal
The State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County won't be filing charges against Coleman Middle School Principal Michael Hoskinson.
TAMPA, FL -- The State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County won't be filing charges against Coleman Middle School Principal Michael Hoskinson.
State Attorney Andrew Warren released a statement Wednesday, April 4, saying that his office has determined "there is no legal basis to file charges against the principal."
Tampa Police began investigating Hoskinson after a student claimed he was physically abused by the principal (see related article).
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According to Tampa police, the 13-year-old student called 911 at 4:20 p.m. March 21 to report that he got into a verbal altercation with Hoskinson that became physical. The student said the principal grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him out of the crosswalk. When the student began to pull away, he said the principal grabbed him by the waist and threw him into some nearby bushes.
Witnesses, however, told a different story. Several parents came forward to say they witnessed the confrontation. They said the student was out of control and Hoskinson's efforts to restrain him were appropriated.
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Nevertheless, following the allegation, school parents received a robocall alerting them to the complaint against Hoskinson and the principal was temporarily reassigned while police investigated (see related story).
In his statement, Warren commended the Tampa Police for its "thorough and efficient investigation but said his office won't file charges.
"We worked diligently to ensure that this process was fair for both the student and the principal," Warren said. "We are reminded in difficult situations like this, people may disagree about what took place and the propriety of either side's actions, but it is our responsibility to determine if criminal charges are appropriate."
In a written statement, the school district thanked the Tampa Police and State Attorney's Office for "conducting a thorough investigation."
The statement added that Hoskinson will be back at Coleman Middle School on Monday, April 9.
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