McDonald misdemeanor trial on for October 31

Jennifer McDonald, center, at September 7 EDA special meeting at which Gray Blanton, right, was elected chairman in wake of Greg Drescher’s earlier-announced resignation from that role. The EDA board expressed support for its embattled executive director at a June 22 meeting. Photo/Roger Bianchini

The misdemeanor criminal trial of Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Jennifer McDonald will go on as scheduled the afternoon of October 31 in Warren County General District Court.  On June 13, 2018, McDonald was charged by Virginia State Police with filing a false police report regarding an alleged incident of vandalism at her Faith Way home on June 15, 2017.

Confirmation of the originally-scheduled trial date was verified by Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Brian Madden on Tuesday, October 9.  Madden had moved for a continuance due to the believed unavailability of what was termed “an important Commonwealth witness” on the originally-scheduled trial date.  However, that witness, former Front Royal Town Manager J. Michael Graham, has informed the Commonwealth that a planned business trip to Southeast Asia overlapping the trial date has been delayed. Read here: Delay sought by prosecution in McDonald case – Graham ID’ed as witness

As previously reported by Royal Examiner, what was termed an inactive Front Royal Police investigation into the alleged home vandalism incident and a May 18, 2017 break-in reported at the EDA headquarters on Kendrick Lane in Front Royal was sent to the county commonwealth attorney after Kahle Magalis became town police chief.  An earlier effort to have the state police take over the two-pronged investigation by then-Acting FRPD Chief Bruce Hite had been unsuccessful.

However, when Madden revisited VSP on the matter they agreed to take over the investigation in March of this year.  The June 13 misdemeanor warrant followed two days before the statute of limitations on a misdemeanor charge in the reported vandalism case expired.

McDonald’s legal situation was complicated by the September 21 filing of a $25,000 civil defamation lawsuit against her by Shenandoah District Supervisor Tom Sayre.  Sayre alleges McDonald orchestrated an attempt to frame him for the alleged June 15, 2017 stone-throwing vandalism incident at her home.  Sayre’s lawsuit specifically names this reporter and Warren County Sheriff Daniel McEathron as instruments of an alleged plot against him.

The reporter in question, as well as Royal Examiner Editor Norma Jean Shaw, dispute the accuracy of descriptions of their alleged involvement as depicted in Sayre’s filing. Read here: Reporters, sheriff cited in Sayre defamation suit against EDA director