Teen Who Allegedly Stabbed Classmate to Death Wasn't Bullied at School, Report Finds

The 14-year-old Bronx boy accused of stabbing a classmate to death outside their school last month was not bullied on school grounds, a report from the city's Office of Special Investigations finds.

The teenager's family alleged he had been bullied into killing Timothy Crump outside Joseph Wade Middle School on June 18. The Office of Special Investigations was directed to investigate those claims.

Its final report, released Thursday, says interviews with 20 staff members, among other witnesses, indicate no evidence of bullying on school grounds, though "that is not to say that no bullying took place elsewhere."

The teenager was indicted on second-degree manslaughter charges June 30. He had initially been charged as an adult with murder and manslaughter, but a grand jury downgraded the charges. He will now be tried as a juvenile, and his case will be heard in family court, prosecutors say.

The teenager's defense attorney, Eric Poulos, has said there was a history of bullying by Crump and friends of his, and that the teen and his mother "sought various ways, through the school system, through the police department, to stop this. No one would help."

Poulos said the day of the stabbing was the teenager's first time back to class in months after trying to transfer schools to avoid his alleged tormentors.

According to the report released by the Office of Special Investigations, the school principal testified that no one -- not the boy, his parents or anyone in the school -- ever told her about the alleged bullying or inquired about a safety transfer.

The school's assistant principal said he never heard any allegations, nor did teachers, paraprofessionals, a parent coordinator or guidance counselor who interacted with the accused teen.

The Department of Education was expected to release a statement on the findings later Wednesday.

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