CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – In his own strongly-worded letter back to the Albemarle County School Board, Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Hingeley defended comments made about the school division in court by one of his deputies and blasted Board Chair Dr. Rebecca Berlin for launching a “public debate” over the remarks.
Hingeley also said he does “not give much credence” to an external report the school division had done to review its own Title IX investigation, stating in his letter that “I stand with the Albemarle County Police Department whose investigation produced evidence” that led to the indictment of former Hollymead Elementary School staffer Michael Swiney.
On Thursday, Deputy Chief Commonwealth’s Attorney Lawton Tufts questioned the “trustworthiness” of the division’s Title IX report regarding allegations against Swiney, who is facing 11 felony charges for sex crimes against children. Tufts also accused the school division of being less than cooperative with the Commonwealth Attorney’s office…