A school staff member charged in the homicide of a Baltimore teen is “devastated” over the student’s death but is innocent, his attorney said.

“He is absolutely not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing,” said Scott Rolle, a Frederick lawyer representing Shadi Sabbagh, one of the six staff members at Bowling Brook Preparatory School indicted by a Carroll Circuit Court grand jury this week on charges of reckless endangerment in the death of 17-year-old Isaiah Simmons III, who died Jan. 23 while being restrained.

Rolle described his client’s dedication to his decade helping juvenile offenders and cooperation with investigators.

Carroll State’s Attorney Jerry Barnes said the men did “nothing” for 41 minutes instead of calling an ambulance.

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But during that time, the six men tried CPR and smelling salts to revive Simmons and tried to determine if Simmons was “faking,” Rolle said.

The six staff members plan to turn themselves in to authorities next week, Carroll Sheriff’s Detective Doug Epperson said.

Simmons’ family called on Barnes to pursue felony manslaughter charges, saying the misdemeanor reckless endangerment charges weren’t harsh enough.

Chief Deputy State’s Attorney David Daggett admitted Wednesday he would have preferred a manslaughter charge but stood by the grand jury’s findings.

“We are firm believers in the grand jury system. We can’t just say to the grand jury, ‘We don’t care what you say,’ ” he said.

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com