MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas — Midland County District Attorney Laura Nodolf released a statement Friday regarding the grand jury decision to no-bill five Midland Christian School employees on Wednesday.
Three administrators and two coaches at Midland Christian School were arrested back in February after they were accused of failing to report a sexual assault.
The full statement from Nodolf can be read below:
“The law does not permit the attorney representing the state, or any witness, to discuss the matters presented or discussed during the Grand Jury proceedings. Therefore, the Midland County District Attorney’s Office cannot legally comment on anything that occurred during the presentation of the case involving the administration/coaches from Midland Christian School.
In Midland County, a particular Grand Jury may be presented with twenty to sixty cases at a time. Texas law permits the attorney representing the state (a prosecutor) to appear before the Grand Jury. When presenting the case, the prosecutor has a duty to present all of the facts, evidence, and any exculpatory information regarding a case. While a detective may be called as a witness in a case, it is not common practice unless there appears that there is a particular need for their testimony. However, even if a prosecutor does not call a witness to testify, the Grand Jury can still ask that a summons be issued for a witness, including a detective, to appear and answer any questions that the grand jury may have.
If this happens, then the Midland County District Attorney’s Office does everything it can to ensure that the grand jury has to have all of the facts and evidence they need in order for them to deliberate and vote on a case.“