(FORTUNE Magazine) – Perhaps you have heard the strange story of Professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the once highflying Emory University Business School professor who resigned from the school in December, and then had a job offer to be dean of Georgia Tech's business school withdrawn ("A Business Guru's Awkward Exit," Jan. 12). The reason for his fall: apparently, Emory accused Sonnenfeld of vandalizing its business school--specifically, gouging walls, doors, and a conference table--because he was passed over in the search for a new dean.

How did Emory know it was the professor? The university said it had captured Sonnenfeld's misdeeds on a security tape. In late December, Sonnenfeld's lawyer was given a copy of the tape, and Sonnenfeld, claiming it was not incriminating, showed it to people, some of whom wrote testimonial letters saying the tape proved nothing. But Sonnenfeld did not show the tape to any journalists. Finally, after dozens of phone calls, Sonnenfeld showed the tape to FORTUNE, hoping that it would clear his name.

It's an 11 1/2-minute black-and-white security tape with a stop-action motion (similar to the kind of footage taken of Lady Di in the hotel before her fatal car crash). Still, the tape is clear enough to conclude that Sonnenfeld's behavior can at least be called strange. He crisscrosses down the hall outside the dean's offices, side-kicking (which Sonnenfeld calls "brushing") the walls a dozen times or so. That might explain the scuff marks a source says the school had been finding for several weeks prior to the taping. How does Sonnenfeld explain his behavior? He has said he had a loose heel on a shoe, but most recently he told FORTUNE simply: "I walk funny." Now there's an understatement.

As for gouging the walls and doors, it's impossible to tell conclusively from the tape, but he does sidle up to the wall at various points. And as for gouging a table in the dean's office? The tape doesn't show that, though it does show Sonnenfeld entering the dean's suite, staying for several minutes, and exiting again.

How damning is the tape? Sonnenfeld apparently was shown the video back in December and chose to resign on the spot (he now says he was coerced). Apparently the school's miniplague of vandalism ended immediately after Sonnenfeld left. Sonnenfeld didn't want FORTUNE to reproduce any stills from the tape, saying, "They would make me look like I was kicking the wall." Well, yes, they would.

--Andrew Serwer