Oct. 11 (UPI) — The mayor of New Jersey’s gambling destination of Atlantic City and his wife pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
The pair — Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, La’Quetta Small — were indicted by a grand jury in September on accusations of physically assaulting their daughter, who was between the ages of 15 and 16 when the alleged abuse occurred.
Marty Small Sr. also faces charges of making terrorist threats and aggravated assault, while La’Quetta Small, the superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools, faces an additional three counts of disorderly persons simple assault.
They entered their not guilty pleas Thursday in the Atlantic County Superior Court.
“This is something no other mom or dad is ever made to suffer, but those other moms or dads do not have the public profiles of Marty and La’Quetta,” attorneys Ed Jacobs, who represents Marty Small Sr., and Michael Schreiber, who represents La’Quetta Small, said in a statement, local nj.com reported.
Both lawyers argue that the issue is a private matter and that their clients will be acquitted.
“We are confident that fair-minded jurors will quickly see that parenting struggles are not criminal events and will agree on the innocence of both Marty and La’Quetta.”
Prosecutors accuse both the mayor and his wife of beating their child.
In an incident in January, Marty Small Sr. allegedly beat his daughter with a broom until she lost consciousness, and in another, he allegedly threatened to “earth slam” her down the stairs.
La’Quetta Small is accused of repeatedly punching her daughter in the chest, bruising her, and beating her with a belt. She is also accused of punching the teenager in the mouth.
A week before the couple was indicted, Atlantic City High School Principal Constance Days-Chapman was charged for allegedly knowing about the abuse and failing to notify child welfare officials.
Days-Chapman also pleaded not guilty earlier this month.
Marty Small Sr. was elected mayor of Atlantic City in October of 2019.