Judge dismisses criminal charges against Ebony Parker, a former elementary school assistant principal in Virginia, in a case tied to a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in January 2023. Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Robinson ruled the charges did not constitute a crime, ending a trial that had drawn national attention over accountability in school shootings.
Parker faced eight counts of felony child abuse and disregard for life, each tied to a bullet in the child’s gun. Prosecutors claimed she ignored warnings about the boy having a firearm, while her defense argued the allegations lacked criminal intent. The judge agreed, stating, “The court is of the legal opinion that this is not a crime.”
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The case stemmed from a January 6, 2023, incident at Richneck Elementary School, where the boy took an unsecured gun from his mother’s purse and brought it to school. The weapon was found in his backpack, though officials said Parker had directed an educator to search it. She later advised against checking the boy’s pockets until his mother arrived.
Parker’s trial was part of a broader debate over who bears responsibility when children commit school violence. In other cases, parents in Michigan and Georgia have faced serious charges, while law enforcement officers in Parkland and Uvalde were not criminally charged. Legal experts say this ruling may limit recent efforts to expand accountability beyond families.
The prosecution called 16 witnesses, including teachers and law enforcement, who testified that educators had raised concerns about the boy’s behavior and possible access to a firearm. Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Josh Jenkins argued Parker had the authority to act but hesitated. In contrast, the defense highlighted the role of other individuals who had direct contact with the child.
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Robinson’s decision hinged on the unclear legal basis for the charges. She questioned whether the statute applied to the unfired bullets, the trauma of students, or Parker’s knowledge of the boy’s history. The defense filed a motion to dismiss after the prosecution rested its case, claiming no crime had been established.
Legal analyst Elyse Hershon noted the timing of the dismissal was unusual. “If something is not a crime, that’s a motion to dismiss before the trial starts,” she said. The judge’s reasoning left some jurors confused, as attorneys debated evidence in front of the jury.
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The criminal case contrasts sharply with a civil trial where Zwerner, the teacher shot, won a $10 million jury verdict against Parker. In that case, Zwerner testified about the trauma of the shooting, saying, “I thought I was dying.” In the criminal trial, her testimony was limited to what she observed that day, and she admitted she could have removed the boy from class earlier.
Parker did not testify in either trial, though her post-shooting comments to HR were played in court. She said she avoided searching the boy’s pockets due to ongoing testing and advised educators to wait for his mother. Her civil attorneys emphasized the criminal case was separate from the civil verdict, stating, “A Newport News jury has already spoken.”
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