The attorney for former First United Methodist Church daycare worker Nina Morgan has filed an appeal of her one-year sentence and additional motions that will be heard Friday morning.
Morgan was found guilty by a jury of a single count of criminal abuse in the third-degree—a misdemeanor—and the jury was unable to agree on a sentence for her. Judge Atkins imposed the maximum sentence of one year in jail last month.
Michael Thompson said Wednesday morning he’s also joining the motion to disqualify Judge John Atkins from presiding over the case and asking for a bond amount Morgan can make.
Judge Atkins declined to take up any of the motions Wednesday and said he’ll look at the case again Friday morning when former pastor Paige Williams and former daycare director Abby Leach will be in court on the motion to disqualify.
Allison Simpson, another former daycare worker who was convicted of 12 counts of first-degree criminal child abuse, three counts of second-degree child abuse and 12 counts of third-degree criminal child abuse, was sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison by Judge Atkins.