Trial begins for Virginia school administrator charged with perjury in probe of sex assault case

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

LEESBURG, Va. (AP) — A lawyer for a school system official accused of perjuring himself during a high-profile investigation of two school-based sexual assaults is telling jurors that her client is the fall guy for a series of administrative failings. Jurors heard opening statements Tuesday in the perjury case against Loudoun County Public Schools spokesman Wayde Byard. It is the first prosecution to go to trial from a special grand jury investigation commissioned by Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares at the request of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The grand jury examined the school system’s handling of two sexual assaults at two different high schools in 2021. Byard says he testified truthfully to the grand jury about his understanding of what occurred.