Principal pleads not guilty in student beating case

HOUSTON Principal David Jones was arraigned Tuesday morning on a charge of failure to report child abuse in the incident that occurred at Jamie's House Charter School. Jones entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor charge.

Cell phone video of the April 29 beating shows former teacher Sheri Lynn Davis, 40, kicking, beating and dragging 13-year-old student Isaiah Johnson for about one minute. The video that led to Davis' firing is now valuable evidence in the criminal case against the teacher and Principal Jones.

Two other employees from the school are facing charges. Former teacher Gabriel Hahn Moseley, who was fired for not reporting the incident when he allegedly witnessed it, and Ollie Hilliard, the superintendent, were also charged with failure to report child abuse.

The most serious charge is against Davis who is charged with injury to a child. It carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Jones and the two other employees face one year in jail if convicted and a $10,000 fine.

As he left court today after entering his not guilty plea, Jones gave no comment.

Jones posted a $30,000 bond on Monday night. She could appear in court as early as Wednesday and is expected to plead not guilty.

The state did its own investigation into Jamie's House Charter School and last month the Texas Education Agency assigned a conservator to oversee the campus.