A jury in Shelby County has convicted Kenneth Clay, Jr., a former educator at Winchester Elementary, of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery. This verdict was delivered last Saturday, following a closely-watched five-day trial. Clay, who taught 4th grade and ran the After Care program, was found guilty of sexually abusing a student in his care during the fall of 2022.
According to the Shelby County District Attorney's Office, the abuse took place inside the school building, with the young victim forced into explicit acts. They testified that on one occasion, while another student kept lookout, Clay isolated the victim in his classroom. When a teacher came close, that student opened the door and saw Clay zipping up his pants as the victim walked away.
The victim's testimony detailed other instances of inappropriate conduct, including in Clay's classroom. After the allegations came to light, Clay resigned from his position in December 2022 and was out on a $250,000 bond until the conviction. Judge Chris Craft has since revoked the bond, and Clay is now in police custody. A sentencing hearing is set for July 31. Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented a total of 11 witnesses. Among those called were the victim and their mother, school personnel, and law enforcement officials, including a rebuttal witness—an MPD detective present during Clay's statement to police. For his defense, Clay, who also testified, had three witnesses: two school teachers.
