A former teacher at the center of a sex abuse scandal in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, has filed a motion to dismiss rape charges against him.
Matthew Rutledge, who taught at Miss Hall's School for decades, previously pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape.
The charges are related to his conduct with students in his care while working at the private, elite all-girls boarding school. He filed his motion to dismiss in Berkshire Superior Court on Thursday.
Allegations against Rutledge were first publicized in 2024, and multiple independent investigations have corroborated the accounts of his accusers. He was formally arraigned in March of this year.
The official investigation into abuse at the school is still underway.
Former head of school Jeannie Norris has been indicted on counts of child reckless endangerment, to which she has pleaded not guilty, and another former teacher - Matthew Johnson - has been indicted on charges of assault with Intent to Rape and two counts of Indecent Assault and Battery Over Age of 14. The motion to dismiss the case against Rutledge will be heard on Sept. 17.
