Charges against teacher dropped in sex abuse case - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Polniaczek033 · 03-22-2006, 09:55 PM

Charges against teacher dropped in sex abuse case

TAMPA (AP) — A former teacher sentenced to three years of house arrest for having sex with a 14-year-old student in one Florida county won't face charges in another.

Debra Lafave pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery. She says she is being treated for bipolar disorder.
By Tim Boyles, Getty Images

Prosecutors in Marion County decided to drop charges Tuesday after a judge rejected a plea deal that would have kept Debra Lafave out of prison. (Related video: More on Lafave Case)

Prosecutors, defense attorneys and the victim's mother urged the judge to accept the deal so the boy wouldn't have to testify. A psychiatrist who examined the teenager told the judge previously that the boy suffered extreme anxiety from the media coverage of the case. (On Deadline: More from the Victim's Mom)

Marion County Circuit Judge Hale Stancil, however, said the lack of prison time for Lafave under the plea deal "shocks the conscience of this court."

Explaining the decision to drop the charges, Assistant State Attorney Richard Ridgway, said: "The court may be willing to risk the well-being of the victims in this case in order to force it to trial. I am not."

Lafave's sentence in Hillsborough County, which includes seven years' probation, still stands.

Lafave, 25, pleaded guilty Nov. 22 to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery under a plea deal there. She was accused of having sex with the middle school student in a classroom and her home.

In Marion County, she was accused of having sex with the boy in a sport-utility vehicle.

Lafave said at a news conference that she was getting treatment for bipolar disorder.

"I have a lot of things in my past that have unfortunately become public," Lafave said.

"I pray with all my heart that the young man and his family will be able to move on with their lives," she said. "Again, I offer my deepest apologies."

Hillsborough County prosecutor Mike Sinacore has said that the victim's family had anticipated a trial, but that the media attention prompted the boy's mother to push for a plea deal.

"There is no one that wanted to see Debra Lafave serve jail time more than myself," the boy's mother wrote in an e-mail to the Ocala Star-Banner over the weekend. But she said the welfare of her son was more important.

SOURCE: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...cher-sex_x.htm

TJL · 03-22-2006, 10:03 PM

That's the same chick whose lawyer argued that she was "too pretty" to go to jail.

Hot girls of the world unite and take this country by force! There's not a court in this land that will convict you!

Georgia's on my Mind · 03-22-2006, 10:39 PM

Just because you have bipolar disorder doesn't allow you to rape children.....nice excuse though.

Coffeecup · 03-23-2006, 08:37 PM

What I got a kick out was, she has a new boyfriend she plans to marry. Gee with in what 2 years, had sex with an underaged boy, marriage fell apart and within a short time has another husband line up. I would have died having my parents stand behind me in the news conference.

EmoJoe · 03-23-2006, 10:27 PM

thats stupid

03-22-2006, 09:55 PM	#1
Polniaczek033 believe. Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 26, 2002 Location: edinboro. Posts: 4,634	Charges against teacher dropped in sex abuse case Charges against teacher dropped in sex abuse case TAMPA (AP) — A former teacher sentenced to three years of house arrest for having sex with a 14-year-old student in one Florida county won't face charges in another. Debra Lafave pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery. She says she is being treated for bipolar disorder. By Tim Boyles, Getty Images Prosecutors in Marion County decided to drop charges Tuesday after a judge rejected a plea deal that would have kept Debra Lafave out of prison. (Related video: More on Lafave Case) Prosecutors, defense attorneys and the victim's mother urged the judge to accept the deal so the boy wouldn't have to testify. A psychiatrist who examined the teenager told the judge previously that the boy suffered extreme anxiety from the media coverage of the case. (On Deadline: More from the Victim's Mom) Marion County Circuit Judge Hale Stancil, however, said the lack of prison time for Lafave under the plea deal "shocks the conscience of this court." Explaining the decision to drop the charges, Assistant State Attorney Richard Ridgway, said: "The court may be willing to risk the well-being of the victims in this case in order to force it to trial. I am not." Lafave's sentence in Hillsborough County, which includes seven years' probation, still stands. Lafave, 25, pleaded guilty Nov. 22 to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery under a plea deal there. She was accused of having sex with the middle school student in a classroom and her home. In Marion County, she was accused of having sex with the boy in a sport-utility vehicle. Lafave said at a news conference that she was getting treatment for bipolar disorder. "I have a lot of things in my past that have unfortunately become public," Lafave said. "I pray with all my heart that the young man and his family will be able to move on with their lives," she said. "Again, I offer my deepest apologies." Hillsborough County prosecutor Mike Sinacore has said that the victim's family had anticipated a trial, but that the media attention prompted the boy's mother to push for a plea deal. "There is no one that wanted to see Debra Lafave serve jail time more than myself," the boy's mother wrote in an e-mail to the Ocala Star-Banner over the weekend. But she said the welfare of her son was more important. SOURCE: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...cher-sex_x.htm
	__________________ mindfulness.

03-22-2006, 10:03 PM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	That's the same chick whose lawyer argued that she was "too pretty" to go to jail. Hot girls of the world unite and take this country by force! There's not a court in this land that will convict you!
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

03-23-2006, 10:27 PM	#5
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	thats stupid
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

03-22-2006, 10:39 PM	#3
Georgia's on my Mind Senior Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Aug 19, 2001 Posts: 25,054	Just because you have bipolar disorder doesn't allow you to rape children.....nice excuse though.

03-23-2006, 08:37 PM	#4
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	What I got a kick out was, she has a new boyfriend she plans to marry. Gee with in what 2 years, had sex with an underaged boy, marriage fell apart and within a short time has another husband line up. I would have died having my parents stand behind me in the news conference.