The trial of a former Summit Middle School physical education teacher accused of sexual assault was postponed on Wednesday, April 26, just as jury selection was scheduled to begin.

Just weeks earlier, Leonard Grams, 62, had appeared ready to move forward with the two-week trial after a last-minute deal between the defense and prosecution avoided a delay stemming from the related indictment of four former and current school district employees, who were witnesses for the defense in Grams’ trial.

Grams, who has pleaded not guilty to five Class 4 felony charges of sexual assault on a child and three Class 3 felony charges of assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, is now scheduled for trial beginning Sept. 18. 

The charges Grams is facing stem from allegations of sexual contact raised in fall of 2021 by three middle school students who had classes with him, according to court documents. The allegations include that Grams touched a student’s breast during a “high five frenzy,” rested his hand on another student’s butt on two separate occasions involving climbing activities and touched a third student’s butt while she was doing pushups, the documents state. He taught at the school for 28 years.

A document filed in the case indicates the defense moved for a continuance on the grounds that they had just received 82 media files from the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office a day before and had not had time to examine them.

The District Attorney’s Office thought the defense had the files but the defense didn’t know they didn’t have the files, the minute order states. The continuance was unopposed and the defense waived speedy trial rules. Judge Karen Romeo granted the continuance and found no fault on either side, according to the order.

Last month, with less than two months before the scheduled start to the trial, the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced that three Summit County School District employees and one former employee had been charged with failure to report child abuse.

Summit Middle School Principal Greg Guevara, Summit Middle School counselor Maureen Flannagan, human resources specialist Amanda Southern and former human resources director Grant Schmidt each face a single charge of failure to report child abuse, a Class 3 misdemeanor, related to allegations students brought forth in the Gram’s case.