Lafave plea deal rejected

[richhermes]

I guess this thing IS going to trial. Although she could still seek another plea deal.

The Debra Lafave case appears headed to trial after the former Hillsborough County teacher who is accused of having sex with one of her students rejected a plea deal Monday.

Lafave's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, said the amount of prison time the state attorney's office insisted on as part of the deal was unacceptable.

"To place Debbie into a Florida state women's penitentiary, to place an attractive young woman in that kind of hellhole is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions," said Fitzgibbons. "I'm not sure Debbie would be able to survive."

Lafave, 24, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old male student in 2004 while she was a teacher at Greco Middle School in Temple Terrace. She is charged with two counts of engaging in lewd or lascivious battery.

A guilty verdict could put Lafave behind bars for 15 years, but defense attorney and Bay News 9 legal analyst Joe Episcopo says despite the end of plea negotiations, a deal could still be struck before the jury reaches a verdict.

"I think it's an appropriate strategy in a case like this," said Episcopo. "You're trying to get the best deal possible for your client. And the only way he's going to get it is to push it all the way to trial. I've seen deals struck after a jury is picked, so it could happen any time. So remember, a defendant can plead guilty any time they want."

Fitzgibbons says the big question in this case is "What teacher in her right mind would do what his client apparently did?" He says he's ready to show a jury that Lafave was not in her right mind at the time the incidents occurred.

Judge Wayne Timmerman ordered the trial to begin on Dec. 5. He and the attorneys in the case are scheduled to meet again Tuesday for a status conference.

Timmerman says he also wants to appoint two more doctors to serve as expert witnesses in the case.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2...18/108733.html

[fast97rs]

Where were these teachers when i was growing up?!

LOL..... no but seriously..... thats messed up.... what could she see in a 14 year old boy?

Jorgy

[ArmorDave]

Apparently she's going to use the "I'm too pretty" defence. Her lawyer stated that she shouldn't go to prison, because 'a pretty girl like her would be raw meat in an all woman's prison....Duh!

[WonderBoy]

Doogie and Bret are prolly going banannas right now! The anxiety is killing me!

[Zack]

Bret is too busy digging around in his garage for a bucket and a few sponges.

[fast97rs]

Originally Posted by ArmorDave

Apparently she's going to use the "I'm too pretty" defence. Her lawyer stated that she shouldn't go to prison, because 'a pretty girl like her would be raw meat in an all woman's prison....Duh!

Seriously.... don't do the crime if you can't do the time!

So what.... thats like saying that a child molester (which is basically what she is) shouldn't have to go to jail because they would destroy him there...

I say the judge/prosicution puts in for solitary confinment, with no visitations.... that'll teach 'em to plead sh*t like that!

Jorgy

[lmk_tampa]

i think she's severely mentally ill... did you guys hear her tapes talking to the boy? she sounds like a little girl... all i'm saying is there's something not clicking in that woman's brain.... needless to say, she's hot.