WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Indicted former Charlotte principal believes he's been targeted by gang

Indicted former Charlotte principal believes he's been targeted by gang

(Charlotte, North Carolina-AP) Jan. 18, 2005 - The attorney for a former Charlotte, North Carolina, high school principal says his client is worried that he's been targeted by a gang following an incident at his home in Clover, South Carolina.

Michael Faulkner was indicted earlier this month by a grand jury on a felony obstruction charge after claiming to police he was assaulted on the campus of the school.

Faulkner claimed in November 2003 that he found three Latino men spray painting E.E. Waddell High School and was punched, kicked and stabbed. He was hospitalized after co-workers found him on a baseball field.

Faulkner resigned from the school in December 2003, saying questions about the alleged assault and his resume was upsetting him and his family too much. Police said they had no suspects or a description of the attackers, but said someone removed the school security videotape before the alleged attack. They also said Faulkner was not stabbed.

His attorney, Reid James, says Faulkner is now worried after someone set fire to his yard at his home in York County early Saturday.

Faulkner told police he saw the letters "DEI" on fire in the yard, which he interpreted as a gang-related saying of "Destroy Everything In sight."

James says his client's family was "scared to death," and he had advised Faulkner to buy a shotgun.

James says he told Faulkner Monday the suspicious fire could be a prank. But, the defense lawyer also says it might be retaliation for Faulkner's outspokenness about gang activities at Waddell High School.

If convicted of felony obstruction of justice, Faulkner could face up to 25 months in jail. Faulkner had previously reported four assaults to police in 16 years.

posted 10:39am by Chris Rees