Deliberations Begin In Trial Of SJ Principal Accused Of Not Reporting Sex Abuse
SAN JOSE (CBS/AP) -- Jurors began deliberating Friday morning in the trial of a San Jose elementary school principal accused of failing to report the suspected sexual abuse of a child by a teacher.
Lyn Vijayendran, the former principal of San Jose's O.B. Whaley Elementary School, said she believed the teacher's explanation about what was allegedly going on in his classroom.
Vijayendran testified at her trial on Thursday that teacher Craig Chandler appeared forthright when he told her an incident during which he allegedly blindfolded a second-grade girl and put something in her mouth was part of a lesson plan about Helen Keller.
Chandler is facing charges of committing lewd and lascivious acts on five children. A crime lab allegedly found his semen on a classroom chair.
A tearful Vijayendran said she did what she thought was right at the time, but had a "different lens" on it looking back.
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