Verdict is in for ex-Montessori School of Raleigh leader charged in sex-abuse case

News & Observer - 8/8/2022

A former Raleigh school leader was found not guilty Monday of aiding in the sexual abuse of a middle school student by a former teacher.

Nancy Errichetti, the former head of the Montessori School of Raleigh, cried as jurors returned the verdict. She had been accused of knowing about past incidents of abuse but not dong anything to prevent it from happening to another student.

Errichetti was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor.

She had initially been charged with a felony of aiding and abetting taking indecent liberties with a child, but a judge removed this charge Monday. The trial began July 27.

If found guilty, Errichetti could have faced a two-year sentence.

The jury went into deliberations Monday afternoon after closing arguments.

Closing arguments

Prosecutors argued Errichetti knew about Nicholas Conlon Smith’s inappropriate behavior with young girls while teaching at Montessori School, but failed to take action, resulting in the abuse of another student in 2016.

Both victims of the abuse were sisters and students of the school.

Smith, 41, a former math teacher at the school, was arrested and charged in 2017 with 17 counts of statutory rape or sex offense and four counts of sex offense.

He pleaded guilty in August 2020 to 11 felony sex offenses, including statutory rape, sex act with a student and the sexual exploitation of a minor, The News & Observer previously reported. He is serving 25 years and testified during the trial.

Errichetti became head of the school in 2012. Assistant District Attorney Melanie Shekita argued that she was aware of the complaints of the inappropriate behavior in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016.

Shekita argued that not only did Errichetti know about the abuse but even promoted Smith and let him continue taking overnight trips with students.

Shekita said Errichetti, having known about the behavior, could have prevented the abuse of the victim’s younger sister. She said the former head of school had the power to take action against Smith years earlier but chose not to.

She asked the jury to find Errichetti guilty of the charges.

“Who protects us from our protectors?” Shekita asked the jury. “Who protects the children?”

Errichetti’s defense attorney, Eileen Hurley, argued Monday that the former school leader did not know about the abuse and if she had known, she would have acted and would have done more than just fire Smith.

Errichetti has a son at the school and over 17 years of experience as a teacher, Hurley said.

Hurley contended that Errichetti tried to take action but did not have enough evidence or information on the matter. She said Errichetti was the first person to confront Smith about the complaints when she learned of them and set guidelines for Smith about spending time with students.

“Why are we here? We’re here because they want someone to blame. Because everybody’s upset that that creep, Nick Smith, did what he did,” Hurley said.

Hurley also disputed that Errichetti knew about the abuse in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016.

“This is not a criminal case with criminal intent,” Hurley said. “This is a woman who did everything she could.”

Staff writer Virginia Bridges contributed to this report.