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Woodland Hills Supt.: Alleged Profanity-Laced Threat Won't Factor Into Investigation

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- "I'm going to [expletive] punch you in the face. Man-to-man, bro. I don't care if you are [expletive] 14-years-old or not. I will punch you in your face, and when we go down to court, it's your word against mine, and mine wins every time."

It's a recording that has been played and replayed on newscasts and social media. Allegedly, it is the voice of Woodland Hills High School Principal Kevin Murray threatening a 14-year-old male student as he disciplined him.

The student recorded it.

"We received an opinion that that audio is not information that we can use in any kind of action because it appears not to have been legally obtained," Superintendent Alan Johnson told KDKA.

Pennsylvania's wiretap law prohibits anyone from recording another without their permission.

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"That doesn't precludes us from doing other things, and our next step now, where we are is we need to meet with the parent, with the student. I have reached out to the parent and asked for a meeting and she appropriately directed me to speak to her attorney," Johnson said.

That attorney is Todd Hollis, who said the incident happened in the school hallway and there is no expectation of privacy there.

A statement from the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office reads: "It's important to note that cases involving potential violations of the wiretap act are complicated. We have been in touch with Churchill Police and we will be detailing our own detectives to assist them. We are hopeful that the additional work will only take a couple of days after which District Attorney Zappala will inform the public about the investigation."

Meanwhile, Murray has been placed on paid administrative leave.  Superintendent Johnson said he has yet to hear Murray's version of what happened.

"Based on all of that information, then it will be up to me to make a recommendation to the board of school directors as to what we are going to do. I hope to have that done within the next week," he said.

The Churchill Police Department is also investigating what went on. Finally, there were questions as to whether Murray is certified to be a principal.

He was certified as an administrator in 2012.

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