From Deseret News archives:
Testing set in teacher-sex case
Baird was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday, but instead, 3rd District Judge Mark Kouris ordered her sent to Utah State Prison for a 90-day diagnostic evaluation.
After the judge reviews the report, he will decide what sentence to impose.
Baird, 42, pleaded guilty last year to second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse in connection with illegal sexual activity involving two students, who were 17 at the time. She had worked as coordinator in the high school math remediation lab.
The judge dismissed two counts of first-degree felony sodomy on a child and two class A misdemeanor charges of supplying alcohol to a minor as part of a plea bargain.
William Parsons, Baird's defense attorney, urged the judge not to send her to the diagnostic unit, terming time spent there "punitive" and stating that a private evaluation and a pre-sentence report from Adult Probation and Parole indicated Baird was a low risk for ever committing a crime again.
Parsons also said Baird has been punished enough because of the humiliation from the media coverage of her case and the disgrace her family has endured.
"This is a young lady who has been broken by this," Parsons said.
"Mr. Parsons, if your client were male and the victims female, if we were all quiet, we could hear the prison bus idling out in the parking lot," Kouris said.
The judge said parents trust that their children will be safe at school. "When teachers become predators, what's the response to that?" Kouris asked. "You undermine that trust."
Prosecutor Gary Searle said he approaches criminal cases without regard to the person's gender or race, and the fact that Baird is female should make no difference. Searle urged that Baird get the diagnostic evaluation so that the judge will have more information before sentencing.
A mother of one of the victims told the judge that after the sexual episode with Baird, her son's grades plummeted, he lost interest in sports, and he was consumed with guilt because he felt it was his fault Baird got in trouble.
"He is a different kid because of this," the woman said. "I want her punished like a male would be."
Turning to Baird, whose face was streaked with tears, the woman said: "Leslie, as mothers, there is an unspoken trust we have amongst ourselves, and I will never forget you broke that trust."
Baird earlier sobbed as she told the judge she was sorry for all the people she had hurt and asked for counseling. She told Kouris she had been abused as a child, had never disclosed this fact until last year and realizes she needs help.
E-mail: lindat@desnews.com
