After Trial Jury Acquits Suspended Severna Park Elementary Teacher of Felony Charges, Remaining Charges Dismissed by Prosecutors

Matthew Schlegel, a suspended Severna Park Elementary School teacher, has been acquitted on all 18 felony child sex abuse charges he faced. Additionally, the remaining three counts of second-degree assault against him were dismissed by county prosecutors today. 

An Anne Arundel County jury delivered this split verdict in the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court last month, after nearly 20 hours of deliberation. Schlegel had been accused of sexually assaulting approximately five female students between the 2022 and 2023 school years. While he was initially indicted on 55 counts, 34 of those were dismissed prior to the trial.

State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess issued the following statement:

“We believe victims and take challenging cases to trial and seek justice on behalf of the most vulnerable in our community. We respect the families of all of the victims and their supporters and understand their disappointment in the outcome of this case. While some may want us to continue prosecuting the three remaining misdemeanor counts, we must recognize that after a full presentation on the facts in over a month-long trial, the jury was deadlocked on those counts 10-2 for not guilty. 

Our office prosecuted this matter with the five child victims with what we believed was the strongest, most favorable and legally admissible evidence available to us. Most importantly, we believed we had sufficient evidence to support a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the ethical standard all prosecutors must adhere to when deciding whether they can proceed to trial. At all times throughout this case, we also considered the well-being of child victims and witnesses in putting them on the stand to testify. Our decision making then and now remains the same in that we will not risk harm to children for the sake of a charge or case. While many may have an opinion on that, it is ultimately our call to make in a criminal prosecution.

First and foremost, prosecutors are ministers of justice and we are bound to follow ethical guidelines regarding proceeding forward with criminal charges. Because we have no reasonable expectation of securing a conviction in a retrial on these three misdemeanor counts, it would be unethical for us to pursue this matter any further, and therefore the prosecutors have entered them Nolle Prosequi. I stand behind the prosecutors, the police, and the forensic interviewers who did their jobs with integrity and professionalism and used the Child First protocols where the well-being of each child was considered every step of the way. The decision not to continue with the remaining three misdemeanor counts is based upon our experience and knowledge of the facts and the law and in consideration of our ethical responsibilities.”

In a statement to Report Annapolis News shortly after the not guilty verdicts were announced last month, a spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Public School System said, "Our school district will now finalize its review of the matter consistent with our internal processes and will make further decisions regarding Mr. Schlegel’s status and employment assignment in accordance with our obligations under state law." 

It is currently unclear what position Schlegel will hold or where he will work during this time.

At least one of the families of the children have filed a civil suit against Schlegel, the School Principal and the Anne Arundel County Public School System. To read the complaint, go to: Mother Doe vs AACPS, et al

***The filing of a lawsuit is not indicative of guilt or wrong doing on the part of any of the parties involved.***

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