RSSRETRACTION: Ms. Nicole Howell Acquitted
Gene Lalor | October 25, 2009
The Dayton, Kentucky school teacher, Nicole Howell, who was charged with felony sex abuse involving an unnamed 16 year old male student has been acquitted of all charges.
Ms. Howell was the subject of a commentary here on October 15th, http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1268, which did use the word “allegedly” with regard to her innocence or guilt but which also admittedly suggested she was guilty as charged.
Based on the jury’s not guilty verdict, determined after a mere 70 minutes of deliberations, I apologize to the former English teacher/cheerleading coach, although it still does not alter the prevalence today of teacher-student sexual liaisons.
America’s cherished tradition of being deemed legally innocent until proven guilty in a court of law should never be forgotten or trashed even if, as in this instance, the young victim’s detailed account of the relationship smacked of plausibility.
From the outset, the defendant had denied what allegedly occurred and now has denounced the consequent ”overreaction” to a false rumor. She took the stand in her own defense and evidently proved to be more credible than her accuser.
Appearing on “Good Morning America,” Howell said, “My life is ruined. Completely. My name has been dragged through the mud. I won’t be able to teach again. Not because I did anything–I did not–but because of the situation:” http://bit.ly/44JVuL.
She may or may not be correct in that assessment but she does plan to sue the student.
Following the recent accusations by a Hofstra University student of being gang-raped which the student later recanted, perhaps it’s time to consider withholding the identities of the accused in such situations and according them the same respect given accusers.
It should also be noted that a not guilty verdict does not necessarily connote innocence. Rather, it’s a jury’s decision that sufficient evidence to convict was not presented by the prosecution.
Think O.J.
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