Guilty of sex with student, teacher avoids prison
Attorney abandons insanity defense in plea deal for ‘tired’ client
(CNN) — In a last-minute effort to keep herself out of prison, a 25-year-old middle school teacher pleaded guilty Tuesday to having sex with a 14-year-old.
Debra Lafave, a former remedial reading teacher at Greco Middle School in Temple Terrace, Florida, pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, and was sentenced to three years of house arrest followed by seven years probation. She also must register as a sex offender.
She could have faced up to 15 years for each count filed in Hillsborough County. She also could have been charged in Marion County, because one of the incidents happened there.
“I want to apologize to the court, to the young man involved and to his family for my actions,” Lafave said. “I accept full responsibility for my actions, and I am very sorry for everything which has occurred.”
A 14-year-old boy told investigators he had sex with Lafave three times in four days in June 2004, according to court documents. One of those times was in a car while his 15-year-old cousin drove them around, he told authorities.
He also said she performed oral sex on him multiple times, including once at her home, the documents said.
Defense attorney John Fitzgibbons said he began negotiating the plea deal Monday after he deposed the boy’s cousin.
“We believe that this was a very fair resolution of this case,” Fitzgibbons said, adding that Lafave avoided prison time with the plea and will be allowed to continue her mental health treatment.
“Very importantly, it allows the young man involved here to go on with his life, just as Debbie can go on with her life,” he said. “He does not have to participate in a trial or deposition.”
Fitzgibbons had originally planned an insanity defense, saying earlier this year that Lafave had “some profound emotional issues” and that “once anyone reads what the doctors have to say, they will understand a lot more.”
Asked how she felt after the plea deal was announced, Lafave said only, “Tired.”
It was a change of heart by the boy’s parents that made the plea deal possible. At first, they had insisted that Lafave serve at least three years in prison, but they recently relented, allowing prosecutors to strike the deal before the trial began.
“Because of the media coverage of these cases, I fear that proceeding to trial will negatively affect my son’s emotional and psychological well-being,” the boy’s mother said in an affidavit filed in Hillsborough County on Tuesday.
She added that her son did not want to testify and merely “wants to resume his life in as normal a manner as possible.”
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Ok let me get the simple jokes out of the way first.
-How come I didn’t have a teacher like that growing up?
-Can I reenroll back into school?
-I guess “Hot for Teacher” has new meaning.
-I guess she gave her exams orally.
-If hooked on phonics doesn’t work apparently blow jobs for a b does.
So now that I got that out of my system.
I don’t even know where to start on this. There are so many points that I want to bring up. Some of them are kind of contradictory. So I guess I will just list them out.
a) If this was a male teacher and did this with a female student does anyone actually think he would only get three years of house arrest?
b) I guess her punishment does fit the crime because do you think this honestly emotionally damaged that kid? All the press about it did more damage then the actual act. If I was 14 and I could have lost my virginity to a hot teacher do you think I would have passed that up? Would any 14 year old boy?
c) I guess there is damage for the 14 year old. Where the hell does he go from here? Are the girls in his peer group really going to cut the mustard?
d) Do you think any of these aforementioned acts actually lasted longer then 15 seconds? So if you add them all up it might top out at an actual minute… Is there years really worth a minute?
e) Was she married? Imagine being her husband… You lost out to a 14 year old… That can’t be a vote of confidence for him on the dating circuit if they break up. I think a girl going lesbian on you is better then having a 14 year old pick up where you left off in the sex life. Even if she wasn’t married and was just dating a guy. Let’s say he goes out to a bar they used to always go to. He is hitting on some girl… They are talking and finally she figures out where she knows him from.
Girl: wait a second, didn’t you used to date….
Guy: No… that wasn’t me that was my cousin. He just kind of looks like me.
Girl: So a 14 year old??? Yeah… um….
Guy: *sigh* Yes he was probably bigger.
Finally what does she do for three years on house arrest? I don’t really get the concept of house arrest. What does she do for employment at this point? Phone sex? Cam girl? Telemarketer from home? Furthermore does she do a lot of internet dating? Basically inviting guys over to her house? Do they automatically think that it is the easiest date ever? How does she get groceries? Does she just sell her car because she can’t use it really?
So many questions………
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