COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – On a technicality, misdemeanor cases against former Quincy High School Principal David Spalding and former Quincy Superintendent Craig Artist were dismissed without prejudice by the prosecution on Wednesday afternoon in Branch County District Court.
The motion was requested during an evidentiary hearing on a defense motion to dismiss.
Spalding and Artist were both facing misdemeanors for failure to report suspected sexual abuse to the Department of Human Services in connection with how they handled allegations that teacher and Information Technology Director Jason Ferrell was having sexual relations with a female student.
Ferrell eventually resigned and later entered no contest pleas to two counts of third degree criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced to prison for between seven years, 11 months and 15 years.
Wednesday’s hearing started almost an hour later than scheduled. Judge Brent Weigle said at the start there were mixed issues with the facts and laws.
Part of the reason why defense attorneys T.J. Reed and Bill Renner wanted the cases thrown out is that they claimed the prosecution withheld information.
A court spokesperson said the motion to dismiss was requested due to a violation of a November judges order to provide documentation to the defense. It came after three witnesses were called and almost five hours of testimony was heard.
Artist declined to comment after the hearing.
