NORWICH – The county’s top prosecutor has removed himself from the case against a Norwich City School District employee to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
According to First Assistant District Attorney Stephen Dunshee, Chenango County District Attorney Joseph A. McBride has recused himself from the case against Jonathan L. Aikins. Aikins was arrested Thursday and charged with second degree unlawful surveillance, a Class E felony, after an audio/visual recording device was discovered in a Norwich High School locker room.
McBride, who has held the office of district attorney since 1999, was elected to the Norwich board of education on May 17 and will commence his three-year term on the board July 1.
Dunshee will be handling the Aikins case in McBride’s stead.
According to Norwich Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan, the 28-year old Norwich man was employed by the school district for a little over three years as a teaching assistant and swim coach, and was recently granted tenure.
“He is no longer working for the district in any capacity,” he assured.
O’Sullivan said he was attending a BOCES meeting last Thursday when he received a phone call from Norwich High School Assistant Principal Scott Ryan.
“Five students discovered a cell phone in the locker room and they immediately brought it to (the principal’s office),” he explained.
O’Sullivan said he headed back to the school immediately, phoning the Norwich City Police on the way.
According to the superintendent, Aikins left the building at approximately 2:15 p.m. He was arrested by police at his home around 3:30, and arraigned before Norwich City Court Judge James Downey.
Following his arraignment on Thursday, Aikins was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility. He has since posted bail, which was set at $1,000.
Dunshee said he had requested a higher bail be set, $25,000, because of the nature of the charges.
“It’s a nasty, nasty crime,” he said.
Aikins was due back in court this morning for a felony hearing on the charges, but according to Dunshee, the defendant’s lawyer, Frank Revoir, waived the hearing on his client’s behalf. Now, the matter will go directly to the grand jury.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” Dunshee said.
While the case works its way through the judicial system, the Norwich City School District is doing all it can to help students and parents cope with the situation. O’Sullivan said he has received numerous phone calls from parents since Thursday, many with the same question: How will they be informed if their child had been under surveillance at any time?
The superintendent said that it is his understanding that all the evidence seized by the Norwich police, including the cell phone, have been sent out for forensic analysis.
“No one in the school district will ever see these tapes ... if tapes do in fact exist,” he reported.
To help answer this and other questions, the school held a meeting early Monday morning. All students and parents connected with the boys and girls varsity, junior varsity and modified swim and diving teams were invited to attend. According to O’Sullivan, Athletic Director Steve Griffin made contact with the parents and developed the agenda. Both men attended, as did High School Principal Lisa Schuchman and members of the school’s guidance staff.
O’Sullivan described the meeting as “very positive.”
“I’m hoping it helped students and parents,” he said.
O’Sullivan encouraged anyone with specific questions to contact him directly at the district office, 334-1600, ext. 5503. He stressed that guidance counselors are also there to provide assistance to students and parents. Representatives from Catholic Charities of Chenango County’s counseling and crime victims program will also be at the school Tuesday to further address concerns.
“We’re there for support and (to offer our) services,” said Maggie O’Connor, senior advocate for the Crime Victims Program.