Case Against Assistant Principal Dismissed
Ebony Parker, an assistant principal at Richneck Elementary, faced an eight-count indictment accusing her of ignoring warnings that a six-year-old student had brought a gun to school, which was later used to shoot and wound his teacher in 2023. However, on Thursday, a Newport News circuit court judge dismissed the case, ruling that Parker’s actions did not constitute a crime under the law.
The dismissal came abruptly, just one day after prosecutors rested their case. Judge Rebecca Robinson stated that Parker’s conduct did not meet the threshold of criminal behavior.
Background of the Incident and Allegations
Parker was accused of failing to act on multiple warnings from school employees who believed the student had a gun in his backpack. Prosecutors said Parker responded by informing them that the child’s mother would soon arrive to pick him up for the day.
The shooting occurred in 2023 when the six-year-old student fired a gun at first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner inside her classroom. The bullet struck Zwerner in her hand and chest. She underwent five hand surgeries and still has a bullet lodged in her chest.
Details from the Trial
During the trial, jurors heard testimony that three first-grade students had reported the boy possessed a weapon. Two girls said the gun was in his bag, and a third student told a teacher that the boy had shown him a gun during break time.
At the time of the shooting, Zwerner was seated at a table during a reading class when the student drew a handgun from his front hoodie pocket and fired a single bullet. The gun, which had six bullets remaining in the magazine, jammed after the shot.
In November of the previous year, Zwerner sued after a jury found that Parker had ignored warnings about the presence of the 9mm gun on school property and likely in the boy’s possession.
Legal Proceedings and Dismissal
The dismissal followed concerns raised when a juror requested clarification about testimony and referred to the jury as “we,” suggesting possible premature discussions before formal deliberations.
Judge Robinson explained that her decision was based on the evidence presented over several days. Outside the courtroom, Parker’s mother expressed relief and gratitude.
“It’s been a long, long haul, for not a good reason,” she said, adding that her daughter was “a really great educator. A great teacher. A great person to advocate for the kids. That’s what breaks my heart, because these kids need every help they can get.”
Parker’s attorney, Curtis Rogers, acknowledged that his client may have made a mistake and had a lapse in judgment but emphasized that she did not commit a crime.
“While my client may have ‘made a mistake’ and had a ‘lapse in judgement’, she did not commit a crime,” Rogers said.
Additional Context and Related Sentencing
In 2023, the student’s mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in prison for felony child neglect. The judge criticized her for neglecting her parental responsibilities.
The defense attorneys for Parker argued that responsibility for the shooting also lay with Zwerner, claiming that the teacher had observed the child’s behavior prior to the incident but failed to intervene.
During court proceedings, Zwerner testified that the six-year-old had slammed her phone to the ground days before the shooting and was in a “violent” mood on the day of the incident. She also stated that she had texted a reading specialist on the day of the shooting, noting that the student was wearing an oversized hoodie with his hands in his pockets.
