STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Four eastern Ohio schoolworkers entered not guilty pleas Friday to
charges stemming from a grandjury investigation into other alleged crimes spurred by the rape of
a16-year-old girl by two high school football players.The four include Mike McVey, Steubenville’s top school
official, whose attorney promised to fight the charges."Weare confident that we are going to prevail in
these cases and provethey’re unfounded," said McVey’s attorney, Charles Bean. "This was
aninvestigation that went nine months and this is all they have?"SpecialJudge Patricia Ann Cosgrove
accepted the not-guilty pleas Friday inJefferson County court and let the four remain free without bond.In
total, six individuals have been indicted by the rape investigation grand jury, whose work is
finished.McVeyand three others are charged with trying to thwart the investigationinto the August 2012 rape
of the West Virginia girl by the footballplayers. The players were convicted in March and sentenced to
thestate’s juvenile detention system.McVey is Steubenville’ssuperintendent. The others are former
Steubenville schools’ technologydirector William Rhinaman, football team strength coach Seth Fluhartyand
volunteer football coach Matt Belardine.A fifth defendant,elementary school principal Lynnett Gorman, is
accused of failing toreport possible child abuse, apparently involving a teen sex anddrinking party in April
2012 unrelated to the West Virginia girl’s rape,her attorney, Dennis McNamara, said after the
hearing."None ofthis has anything to do with her job," said McNamara, who added thatGorman learned
about the party second- or third-hand while checking tosee if her son had been involved.Because parents of
the teensknew of the party’s circumstances, "I don’t think she had an obligation"to report it,
McNamara said.A sixth defendant, Hannah Rhinaman,is the daughter of William Rhinaman. She is accused of
stealing schoolequipment in an alleged crime investigated by the grand jury butunrelated to the rape
case.The football players’ rape of the16-year-old girl drew nationwide attention because of
allegationsprosecutors didn’t charge more individuals.McVey’s chargesinclude felony counts of obstructing
justice and tampering with evidenceand a misdemeanor charge alleging he made a false statement in
April2012.Belardine, whose house authorities said was the scene of theunderage drinking party that preceded
the rape last summer, facesseveral misdemeanor charges.Fluharty was charged with failing to report possible
child abuse in August 2012.WilliamRhinaman is charged with evidence tampering, obstructing
justice,obstructing official business and perjury. The 53-year-old MingoJunction man has pleaded not
guilty.Hannah Rhinaman faces theft and receiving stolen property charges. She has pleaded not
guilty.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published,
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