The Irving 14-year old arrested for bringing a homemade clock to MacArthur High School has a new attorney and public relations people to contend with the ongoing deluge of media and controversy.
Dallas attorney Thomas Bowers said Wednesday he is now representing Ahmed Mohamed and his family. Universal Media Group is taking calls for the attorney who says he is now handling all media inquiries. Ron Prince, a former Dallas Independent School District trustee, is also an advisor.
Bowers said he is considering legal action against Irving police and the Irving Independent School District.
"We're going to wait and see if they do the right thing, or if they put the blame on a 14-year-old child," he said.
Irving school officials have defended the teen's arrest Sept. 14 because officials thought the exposed wires and circuit board in a pencil box could constitute a "hoax bomb."
Irving ISD Communications Director Lesley Weaver has repeatedly said there is more the district could say if Ahmed's parents signed a privacy release.
"They [school leaders] created the situation, and they're trying to put the blame somewhere else. It doesn't make any sense," Bowers said.
The student said after his arrest that he wanted to demonstrate his technical skill to his new high school teachers. Police concluded the next day the student intended no threat and closed the investigation without filing charges.
The Glenn Beck online talk program Tuesday dealt with construction of the clock and theories about what may have been the true intent of the teen and his family. Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne appeared on the program.
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"I now have our police chief – who is a wonderful, wonderful man, a family man, a church going man – and I now have our police officers, as well as a number of teachers, school administrators, receiving death threats as a result of this. And it is unfortunate and it has got to stop," Van Duyne said.
The mayor did not return messages from NBC 5 Wednesday.
"The first thing that people do and government officials do when they are wrong, and they should stop doing this, is try to smear the victim," Bowers said. "It's the wrong thing to do."
Bowers denied any conspiracy or prior intent on the part of Ahmed Mohamed or his family to build the clock and take it to school to intentionally cause trouble for Irving.
"It's amazing that people could actually comment on some young man and say that he had some sort of ulterior motive. Obviously, this young man is a young inventor, a young tinkerer, and there's nothing more. He just made a homemade clock."
The lawyer said the Mohamed family is still considering possible private school options after formally withdrawing from the Irving ISD.
The teen was traveling in New York City on Wednesday.
Irving police said Wednesday the Mohamed family has still not picked up the clock that was released as evidence last week.
"I just got hired, so I guess we'll pick the clock up one day when it's a reasonable time," Bowers said.
