LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former Jefferson County Public Schools principal, arrested on his first day on the job in 2023, is now suing the school district.
Sitting next to his attorney, former Olmsted Academy North principal, Leroy Littles, sat-in on the interview. However, he couldn't speak with WHAS11 News given the pending criminal charges he faces of assault and terroristic threatening.
His attorney, Brandon Rudolph, did all the talking.
"I feel like if a proper investigation was had, we might not be at this point right now," Rudolph said. "Upon the information belief that we have. The allegations are not true. Mr. Littles was not there."
The date in question is Christmas night of 2022 when an alleged assault took place in Bullitt County.
According to police, someone in a pick-up truck pulled up and attacked a man and his girlfriend.
Based on inflammatory language the man used, and the facts of the case, Rudolph said the man wrongly accused, and police wrongfully arrested, Littles.
"He was looking for African American male to put this on," Rudolph said. "The guy referred to the guy who beat him up as 'a [n-word].' He looked at his paramour who was there called her an '[n-word] lover, tell me who it is!'"
The complaint alleged JCPS told the county sheriff's office to wait and arrest Littles after he transferred into his new principal role at North Olmstead Academy.
When WHAS11 News reached out to JCPS, a spokesperson said "we do not comment on pending litigation."
"My client's name was put all over social media, put all over the news medias," Rudolph said. "That's why we're here to clear his name."
Under current JCPS policy, an employee facing disciplinary action can be placed on non-instructional duties pending a decision to reassign them or not.
Littles' attorney argued three white JCPS employees facing similar or more severe charges as him, were not subject to the same treatment by JCPS as Littles.
"There's been similarly situated individuals within JCPS who weren't reassigned," Rudolph said. "(Littles) is just trying to provide for his family, for his kids for his wife, who he loves dearly."
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