The delay in setting a trial date for Superintendent Mike Moore and former Bruce High School Principal Michael Gillespie will likely grow longer as the prosecution is expected to apply a new statute in the case.
Mike Moore
Michael Gillespie
Bruce Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Howe confirmed last week that after consulting with the district attorney’s office, a different statute is “more applicable” in the case and work is being done to file those documents with the court.
Changing and filing new affidavits will likely mean a new “probable cause hearing” for both Moore and Gillespie will be required.
“We are working on this in a very deliberate manner,” Howe said.
Circuit Judge Kelly Luther found evidence was substantial enough to warrant a trial after the first probable cause hearing in May after the two were charged by Bruce Police with failure to report unlawful activity on school property in Calhoun County, stemming from the arrest of former teacher Loray Jordan Jr. who allegedly had improper contact with a junior high student and is currently out on bond awaiting trial.
Bruce Municipal Judge Ben Suber was appointed to hear the trials for the school officials and Howe was appointed to prosecute the case after County Attorney Tina Scott recused herself. Scott represented the prosecution in the public cause hearing.
The failure to report charge against Moore and Gillespie was a misdemeanor with a maximum possible sentence of six months in jail or $1,000 fine. The new charge is expected to have stronger penalties, but that won’t be confirmed until the affidavits are officially filed with the court.
Despite the delays since the hearing in May, Bruce Police Chief Stan Evans stressed the case is still moving forward.
“We haven’t dropped this and it’s not getting swept under the rug,” Evans said. “We’re going to see this through. We just want to make sure we do everything exactly right.”