Sex abuse trial will start Monday for former Iowa City school counselor

The motion to continue Monday's sex abuse trial of a former Iowa City school counselor was denied today.

Donald Clark, 41, accused of sexually abusing a fifth-grader at Lemme Elementary School when he was a guidance counselor in 2004, will stand trial Monday in Johnson County District Court. Jury selection starts 9 a.m.

John Roberston, Clark's attorney, filed a motion to continue the trial late Thursday based on a letter written by the alleged victim to his parents. Robertson said he wanted more time to do additional depositions of witnesses to address issues raised in the letter.

The state resisted, saying the letter wasn't part of the police reports but was available in the discovery information.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Nancy Baumgartner review the depositions previously taken and ruled this afternoon that there was nothing new in the letter to delay the trial or warrant more depositions of witnesses. Clark didn't attend the hearing. He is out of town.