Former Eastlawn Elementary School principal Daniel McInnis was found not guilty on all counts by a jury on Thursday, concluding a weeklong trial in superior court.
McInnis, 46, of Burlington, faced charges that included a statutory sex offense with a child by an adult, a sex act with a student, indecent liberties with a child, and sexual battery, according to reporting by The Alamance News. The jury returned its verdict late Thursday afternoon after roughly two hours of deliberations following instructions from superior court judge Doug Green.
The trial focused heavily on competing theories regarding the credibility of the allegations. The alleged victim, now 12, testified during a closed courtroom session that the incident occurred in a school bathroom during a fourth-grade math class.
Defense attorneys emphasized the complete absence of physical evidence linking McInnis to any assault. The defense also presented an alternative theory suggesting the allegations were fabricated at the instruction of the boy’s mother because the family, who are illegal aliens, faced an active deportation order. Testifying during the trial, several former teachers said that the boy had previously recanted his claims, while supporters wearing blue ribbons filled the courtroom audience.
Trial Details and Next Administrative Steps
Court proceedings were closed on Wednesday for Veterans’ Day, with closing arguments from the prosecution and defense presented on Thursday morning. The jury comprised five white males, four Black females, and three white females, alongside three alternate jurors.
School officials confirmed that McInnis remains employed with Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS) but continues to be suspended without pay pending administrative resolution.
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