Ex-Gary schools chief seeking jury trial in theft case

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) - The former superintendent of Gary Community Schools is seeking a jury trial on charges that she double-billed the cash-strapped district for expenses at a conference in California.

Fifty-six-year-old Cheryl Pruitt's attorney said during a Wednesday hearing in Lake Superior Court that his client wants to proceed to trial.

Pruitt was charged last October with theft and official misconduct for allegedly double-billing about $1,250 in luxury expenses at a 2016 Los Angeles conference.

The Post-Tribune reports that Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is suing Pruitt for $18,000, mostly for penalties and fees.

Pruitt was hired as Gary's schools chief in 2012. She resigned last year after an emergency manager took over the district as it faced more than $100 million in debt. She's now CEO at Chicago Virtual Charter School.

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Information from: Post-Tribune, http://posttrib.chicagotribune.com/