Dad Who Loses His Cool, Threatens Daughter's Bullies on Bus Won't Serve Time
Nov. 10, 2010— -- The Florida father who stormed onto a school bus and threatened students who were allegedly bullying his disabled daughter will not serve time behind bars.
James Jones signed a plea deal today that requires him to serve six months probation and pay a $1,000 fine. Jones must also take classes in anger management and victim awareness and perform 10 hours of community service, according to The Associated Press.
In an interview with CBS' "The Early Show" Tuesday, Jones said, "Well, you know, I wish I could take (it) back, but, at the same time, we woke America up."
"I was a bully at the same time, and I don't want to promote bullying. ... I should have handled it another way but, at the same time, to see my daughter was going to be in the situation, it was not going to be healthy for her," said Jones.
Jones had been charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing a school function and could have faced four months in prison had he been convicted.
It is not clear what punishment, if any, the alleged bullies received.
Jones made national headlines in September when his obscenity laced rage was caught on the school bus' security camera in Lake Mary, Fla. The video is blurred but Jones' anger is clear.
"Everybody sit down. Everybody sit down," Jones said on the surveillance tape.
He then orders his 11-year-old daughter to point out her alleged tormenters.
"Show me which one. Show me which one," he said.
Jones confronts the middle school students he says have been bullying his daughter who has cerebral palsy by taunting, hitting and even throwing condoms at her.
"I'm going to (expletive) you up.…this is my daughter, and I will kill the (expletive) who fought her," Jones said.
Jones reportedly threatened not only the students, but the bus driver as well.
"If anything happens to my daughter I'm going to (expletive) you up and everybody on this (expletive)," he said.
Before leaving, he dares them to call the police.
"You call the police, call them. My brother's the damn deputy sheriff."
