Teacher Kevin Pope leaves the 41st Precinct in the Bronx on Sept. 23, 2016. (Michael Schwartz/for New York Daily News)
A Bronx teen who was pummeled by a teacher he ripped off in a drug deal is suing the educator who assaulted him and the school he attended.
Nazur West was a 16-year-old student at John Lindsay Wildcat charter school in the Bronx when he claimed teacher Kevin Pope gave him $4,000 to buy marijuana and then beat the bejesus out of him when he pocketed the cash, according to his lawsuit filed in Bronx County Supreme Court on Sunday.
West, now 19, claims he suffered lasting physical and psychological injuries from Pope’s attack.
The saga with his former teacher began in June 2016 when Pope talked the teen into going with him to Central Park to buy $4,000 worth of pot, court papers say. When the dealer asked for $7,000, West freaked out and left with the cash, cops told the Daily News at the time.
Three months later, Pope followed his student out of school and confronted him on Seneca Avenue in the Bronx, where he punched West in the head and snatched his gold chain and wallet. During the beat down, the teacher threatened to chop off the teen’s hands and send someone to rape his mother, according to court papers.
“Do you want to die?” Pope was accused of shouted at the teen. “You want to steal from me? I should break your arm … I should get someone to rape your mom every day after work.”
Pope was arrested on Sept. 23, 2016, and released with no bail two days later. His lawyer argued at the time that Pope was carrying thousands of dollars of cash in his briefcase and West stole the case while the teacher was waiting at a bus stop.
In addition to suing Pope, West accuses charter school administrators of improperly vetting and supervising the teacher and claims the city’s Education Department also bears responsibility for its role in overseeing charter schools. Officials at John Lindsay Wildcat Charter, a transfer school for students who drop out of other schools, couldn’t be reached for comment.
West’s lawyers couldn’t be reached for comment.
A lawyer for Pope couldn’t be reached.