School board member enters 'not guilty' plea
A Marion-Florence USD 408 school board member, charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor, has entered a plea of "not guilty" in Marion County District Court.
A journal entry filed Feb. 28 by Special Prosecutor Jay Sizemore states Sharp has entered a plea of not guilty. Sharp is represented by Hillsboro attorney John C. Johnson.
The matter is set for pre-trial at 10 a.m. March 24 in front of Senior Judge Ronald D. Ennis.
The case has already been transferred twice before ending up in Ennis' courtroom. Initially, the case was to be heard by Eighth Judicial District Chief Judge Michael Powers of Marion. Powers transferred the case to the Honorable Thomas H. Ball, District II Judge, according to a court document dated Nov. 1. Ball then transferred the case to Ennis, according to a document dated Nov. 26.
Sharp was charged with one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor in Marion County District Court last October. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor.
The charge was filed by Sizemore, who was appointed by Marion County Attorney Susan Robson. Robson excused herself from the case due to a conflict of interest. Both she and Sharp serve on the Marion-Florence school board.
The incident stemmed from a party that allegedly occurred between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Aug. 10. A report by the Marion Police Department indicates the suspect — Sharp — admitted he did not take the alcohol away from juveniles at the party.
Sharp currently is running for re-election to the Marion-Florence school board. He is seeking the district's at-large position.
