Judge taps special prosecutor for Martinsville Schools probe

A judge in Martinsville has named a special prosecutor to investigate possible misconduct by employees of the Martinsville Schools.

WIBC-FM 93.1 reported Monday that Morgan County Judge G. Thomas Gray named Johnson County Deputy Prosecutor Doug Cummins to the case.

The exact nature of the probe is not clear. WIBC said the appointment comes after the school district placed Jeff McGown, a Martinsville second-grade teacher and High School girls tennis coach, on administrative leave last week.

Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega told WXIN-TV Channel 59 that he sought a special prosecutor because he "has both a personal and professional relationship with other persons involved in the investigation."

Sonnega had asked for a state police investigation in February after boys basketball coach Tim Wolf was arrested for public indecency in the company of a 17-year-old student. Wolf immediately resigned.

Sonnega said at the time that the school district agreed with the decision to bring in outside investigators.

Channel 59 reported that a parent of a student who blew the whistle on the Wolf case said school officials and a lawyer tried to intimidate his son during questioning in the office of the Martinsville High School principal.

"Well, to quote one of his friends, he felt like everything he was saying was being twisted and turned," the parent said.

Martinsville School officials were not available for comment.