A lawyer for a longtime principal of a suburban Atlanta high school facing charges of failing to properly report child abuse says she will plead not guilty to the charge.
The Marietta Daily Journal reports (http://bit.ly/dhQSYN) that Trudie Donovan intends to enter the plea during a Friday court appearance.
Donovan's lawyer Jimmy Berry say he hopes the state will decide that Donovan did nothing wrong and dismiss the case.
Donovan announced her retirement as principal of Kell High School in June after the misdemeanor charge was filed against her, accusing her of not immediately reporting suspected child abuse within a 24-hour period.
The reporting issue involves social studies teacher James Chadwick Brigham, who had been charged with sexual battery. Authorities say he slapped a female student's buttocks in a classroom.
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Information from: Marietta Daily Journal, http://mdjonline.com/
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
