B.C. teacher cleared in sex case says trials ruined life

[gerryh]

A Vernon, B.C., teacher who was found not guilty of sexually assaulting a student says her five-year legal ordeal has devastated her career and her finances.
Deborah Ashton, 48, was acquitted on two counts of perjury in the B.C. Supreme Court in Vernon on Friday, 16 months after she was acquitted on charges she had sex with a Grade 7 student.


Yahoo! News


Sick... innocent until proven guilty, a concept very few seem to grasp. Because a 12 year old LIED, her life is ruined.

 

[petros]

There is a lot of that going on lately isn't there?

 

[Sal]

what a bizarre story, it says she shared a sleeping bag with the student...also she was a Vice Principal as well as a teacher... I can not imagine any teacher sharing a sleeping bag with a kid, it would be outrageous

 

[gerryh]

Defence lawyer Terry La Liberte called the allegations "character assassination," and pointed out inconsistencies and memory gaps in the alleged victim’s testimony, saying he had made up the whole story of the affair to impress his friends, but could not admit it now for fear of losing face.

This says it all

 

[Walter]

Saw many colleagues railroaded by lying adolescents in my decades in the classroom.

 

[gerryh]

Saw many colleagues railroaded by lying adolescents in my decades in the classroom.

Can't be....kids don't lie. :roll:

 

[Walter]

Can't be....kids don't lie. :roll:

That's what our superintendents would tell us at PD sessions and we would laugh in their faces.

 

[JLM]

Can't be....kids don't lie. :roll:

No, but they brag! Virk and Basi, convicted felons got their defense paid, Ashton should get reimbursed for her defense costs. Crown f**ked up big time. You can't suck and blow at the same time!

 

[gerryh]

No, but they brag! Virk and Basi, convicted felons got their defense paid, Ashton should get reimbursed for her defense costs. Crown f**ked up big time. You can't suck and blow at the same time!

and how many times on here have people called for the death penalty for people that have been "accused" of what she was? How many threw her under the bus at the time?

 

[JLM]

and how many times on here have people called for the death penalty for people that have been "accused" of what she was? How many threw her under the bus at the time?

Yep, Gerry, the problem is our justice system is badly flawed, "innocent until proven guilty" is utter bullsh*t, once you are accused you are never "innocent" again, even if acquitted.

 

[damngrumpy]

This is nothing short of disgusting. This teacher was put on trial needlessly
After that the crown and cops decided she must be lying so they brought a
charge of perjury. On top of that the ex husband was called as a witness and
the divorce they had was a mess. In the end the Judge looked at the evidence
and decided the woman was telling the truth. She won the trial and the perjury
trial as well. When the crown keeps taking people to court and they lose more
than once the legal system should pay the defendants expenses maybe we
would have less of this nonsense. Or better still the kid who started it all should
pay, he after all was less than truthful

 

[gerryh]

Yep, Gerry, the problem is our justice system is badly flawed, "innocent until proven guilty" is utter bullsh*t, once you are accused you are never "innocent" again, even if acquitted.

That has nothing to do with the justice system, and everything to do with society. Narrow minded a$$holes who jump to the conclusion of guilt just because someone has been arrested or charged.

 

[JLM]

This is nothing short of disgusting. This teacher was put on trial needlessly
After that the crown and cops decided she must be lying so they brought a
charge of perjury. On top of that the ex husband was called as a witness and
the divorce they had was a mess. In the end the Judge looked at the evidence
and decided the woman was telling the truth. She won the trial and the perjury
trial as well. When the crown keeps taking people to court and they lose more
than once the legal system should pay the defendants expenses maybe we
would have less of this nonsense. Or better still the kid who started it all should
pay, he after all was less than truthful

You got that right, even a naïve country bumpkin like myself, figured the little bastard was lying right from the get go. He claimed he had 200 "encounters" with her but was unaware of a large tattoo on her belly. (I emailed the Atty. General and told her Ms. Ashton should have her defense cost reimbursed, with a copy to the Premier and Eric Foster, my M.L.A.) It will be interesting to see the response I get. And NO, I do not know or have any connection to Ms. Ashton, just recognize reeking garbage.

I suppose if the little bastard was charged with public mischief at this point it would just amount to jumping from the frying pan into the fire!

That has nothing to do with the justice system, and everything to do with society. Narrow minded a$$holes who jump to the conclusion of guilt just because someone has been arrested or charged.

I suppose if you wanted to correctly assign blame, the media should shoulder about 75% of it. "Society" is a mixture running the whole gamut, they are what they are and some ain't too bright.

 

[taxslave]

Saw many colleagues railroaded by lying adolescents in my decades in the classroom.

It took you decades to graduate?

 

[gopher]

Happens all the time. When that Castro guy was arrested in Cleveland two other guys he knew were arrested with him, their names and faces disclosed before the public. But the police never charged them with anything because they were only visiting him that day and had no idea what was going on. Still the public thought they were complicit in his crimes and several made death threats. Both had to move out of town at their own expense in fear for their lives. People like that never get their reputation back.

 

[JLM]

Happens all the time. When that Castro guy was arrested in Cleveland two other guys he knew were arrested with him, their names and faces disclosed before the public. But the police never charged them with anything because they were only visiting him that day and had no idea what was going on. Still the public thought they were complicit in his crimes and several made death threats. Both had to move out of town at their own expense in fear for their lives. People like that never get their reputation back.

Well, there is the old adage "Birds of a feather flock together" (Not sure that there is not a shade of truth to it)

 

[gerryh]

Well, there is the old adage "Birds of a feather flock together" (Not sure that there is not a shade of truth to it)

wow.... thanks for proving my point.

 

[JLM]

wow.... thanks for proving my point.

I doubt if your point that people can be fickle ever needed proving.- also remember it's some of those same people who make up the justice system.

 

[WLDB]

Sick... innocent until proven guilty, a concept very few seem to grasp. Because a 12 year old LIED, her life is ruined.

When it comes to sex crimes - or even other violent crime being accused is usually the same as being found guilty regardless of what the courts say. Its disgusting and unfortunate, and just plain wrong. It explains why some teachers are so paranoid about doing anything that can even be thought of as odd. I had a teacher in high school who worried about meeting with a female student after class alone because of how it might look - even though it was in the class.

Can't be....kids don't lie. :roll:

Of course they do. Its unfortunate that its the liars who seem to be the ones listened to. Meanwhile you can find many cases of kids telling the truth and being ignored. Not necessarily on this issue but bullying would be a big one.

Happens all the time. When that Castro guy was arrested in Cleveland two other guys he knew were arrested with him, their names and faces disclosed before the public. But the police never charged them with anything because they were only visiting him that day and had no idea what was going on. Still the public thought they were complicit in his crimes and several made death threats. Both had to move out of town at their own expense in fear for their lives. People like that never get their reputation back.

Tragic. I hadnt read about those two. Theyre lucky it isnt the 20s or 30s or earlier. Might have wound up lynched. Its not a crime to know someone who is a criminal - well, at least not someone who you dont know is a criminal. If these guys knew what he was doing and were still friends with him I wouldnt have much sympathy but from what ive seen they didnt.

what a bizarre story, it says she shared a sleeping bag with the student...also she was a Vice Principal as well as a teacher... I can not imagine any teacher sharing a sleeping bag with a kid, it would be outrageous

I agree its odd. I experienced something somewhat similar. I was in Beavers as a young kid and at a sleepover sort of thing I slept with an adult male. Nothing wrong happened and I thought nothing of telling my mother about it. She blew it all out of proportions - or at least i thought so at the time. Now I get it. Glad she didnt go overboard with charges though.