Controversial Trial Delayed to April 12
Catoosa County Judge Brian House has delayed the trial of a fired Chickamauga, Ga. teacher. Tonya Craft, accused of 22 counts of child molestation, was originally scheduled to go on trial Monday, but now the trial is delayed until April 12. Judge House did not provide a reason for the delay.
On Monday Craft and her four defense attorneys sat through a two hour motions hearing. Craft has said all along she is innocent. Investigators say the violations happened during a slumber party at her Catoosa County home in the spring of 2008.
The judge has issued a gag order in the emotionally-charged case. No one directly associated with the case can comment.
Before that gag order was issued however, Craft said, "I'm going to fight for my innocence."
Asked if she would take a plea to any lesser charge, Craft immediately responded, "Absolutely not.... I have done absolutely nothing wrong."
Although she was a teacher in Walker County, her trial will take place in Catoosa County because investigators say she violated the three young girls inside her Catoosa County home.
Prior to the gag order Prosecutor Chris Arnt said, "I have never in all that time seen the kind of harassment and intimidation that has been applied to victim's families, to witnesses in this case, people that have been followed home, to their jobs, out to restaurants."
Craft said, "There's an absolute hysteria when you hear the words 'child molestation.' And nobody questions if it's true or not."
