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Ex-LDS seminary principal hands over evidence

They've got nothing on this guy. Allegedly an offender of 25+ felonies and now walking free on $20,000 bail and no charges filed at this stage? They need the computer to try and gather evidence because they don't have anything to charge him with now. This guy got the shaft from the Church too, getting tossed in the gutter within an hour after the allegations surfaced. Pratt never taught me in seminary, but I'm on his side until the evidence is stacked against him. Right now there is NOTHING.

But I wonder what they will find on the laptop hard drive? If the laptop belonged to the church, I doubt they will find much on it. I have a friend that works in the MIS department at the church and they have some pretty restrictive software installed on their computers to prevent a lot of this kind of stuff from happening.

Very interested to follow this case. Will any claims be substantiated? Will other students bring additional charges?

I sincerely hope that all facts will be presented and the truth established, so that healing can begin to take place.

Sorry, Bub. There's no getting around the truth here. You're in a heap o' trouble.
There is no way to justify having sex with ANY 16 year old, consentual or not.
It doesn't look too promising.
"As ye sow......"
Mike

Let us not be quick to judge: as soon as headlines appear that contain the words "underage" and "inappropriate", it is common for judgmental feelings to arise, but recall that the Prophet Joseph himself was jailed on trumped-up charges. I applaud the Deseret News for it's non-sensational coverage of these unfortunate cases. Let's have sorrow for the accused and sorrow for the accuser, regardless of guilt or innocence on either side, and prayers for them and their families.

Anonymous | 12:20 p.m. July 13, 2009

I agree it does seem odd that the bail is so low for that many felony counts.

However in their contract with the Church it is very plain that if they are accused in a court of law there is grounds for immediate dismissal.

The School for all conventional purposes never has a choice about sacking a teacher or staff member when allegations or suspicions arise because parents go berserk on any such things regardless of actual proof.

Any threat, real or percieved to mommy or daddy's little angels sparks righteous indignant rage in the majority of parents it seems and they pretty much go off the deep end and can not be reasoned with from there.

This seems to be even more prevelant the less a parent is involved with their kids. I would suspect its due to a mixture of guilt at not really being there for their kids along with a degree of paranoia caused by being clueless and univolved often also combined with having forgotten what it was like to be a kid themselves as many people seem to do far too often.

In short it seems to be the parents that don't bother actually being a parent that scream the loudest in these cases.

What a crazy story, I really hope this ends up being a big misunderstanding. It does, however, seem pretty suspicious that "the laptop, {was} sent out of the area with Pratt's family after the allegations surfaced." So as soon as he was arrested, the family tried to hide the lap top? Isn't that what the article is saying?? Seems suspicious...

Didn't the accuser say "everything but sex" happened between them?

Its starting to sound more and more like maybe she made up a lot of this story. $20K bail for that many felonies, but no official charges? Something just isn't adding up.

I'm predicting an over-accusatory press wanted to make a scandalous story happen fast. I think he'll be guilty of something, but probably nowhere near all the things he was originally accused of.

Where are all of his other students? Why aren't they standing up for him? Or shooting him down? Something just isn't right here.

We've become a society were charged can be made about anyone, anywhere and at anytime. Mike, I guess you know this guy is in "a heap o' trouble" by just having an allegation made against him. I defer with you're opinion for one reason... no truth as been established in the court of law... no conviction... as matter of "truth" no charges as of yet... the issue isn't a matter of "justification" it's a mater of "Truth", let's wait and have the process establish that truth. I hope you get it...

There have been countless comments posted here and on KSL from people claiming to be former students, all of which seem to support the principal. FYI

Just because the Church dismissed him, doesn't mean they automatically assume he's guilty. They err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety of the students. I think that IF he is found innocent, they would rehire him. They just let the courts be the finder of fact. If he's guilty he shouldn't be allowed around anyone under 18.
As for his wife and kids. I feel just awful that they are going through this. I'm sure their Bishop will make sure their basic needs are met. I hope other friends and ward members will rally around them, despite the scandalous nature of this trial.
Sometimes people will rally if someone loses a spouse to death, but not divorce. They'll rally if someone loses a teen from cancer, but not to drug addiction. The grief and loss is just as real, regardless of the situation.
Please don't shun his family. Supporting them is not the same as supporting his bad behavior, if it does turn out to be true.

Once again it shows that when there is something of a juicy story the press will jump all over it and make it into something that it is not, I had Brother Pratt as a seminary teacher years ago when I was in high school, this whole situation just seems to not making sense in the least, first they print this article saying things like places, and text messages, but now where is all the evidence that pointed those things, they don't have any. If he did do something illegal he should pay for it, but I think that this story should not have been released until they actually had some hard evidence on him. If they actually do!

Ohhhh.... I see, He's Mormon... so obviously it has to be false.*rolls eyes*

Oh I get it. (I'll let my personal friendship with the victim's family sit aside here)
I get that many LDS simply cannot believe that one of theirs could possibly be guilty of ANYTHING untoward.
I was raised LDS and have a firm understanding of how it all works. I served a mission in the Dominican Republic, and was being considered for the Bishopric until I left the faith.
Had it been a Catholic teacher, I could just imagine the slings and arrows. But there is an overriding sentiment for Pratt that we should wait and see. I agree that by law, that is what must happen. I am just miffed by all of the defense of this guy just because he's a seminary teacher.
If he's innocent, then the authorities have a bunch of 'splainin to do'. If guilty, then what? I know. You'll all pray for him and forgive him. Let the Lord judge...etc etc.
This is why I left the church. It is like a single-celled being, like an amoeba.
M

This is worst than the famous Salem witch trial! I would expect that the officers have something hard to file charges but nothing yet? Sounds pretty wierd. One more reason to say "innocent until proven guilty"

this is crazy...i'm anxious to hear what goes down on monday. i would love for this to be untrue but i dont think that's whats going to end up happening.

everyone just needs to hold up and wait.

I'm so sorry for the 16 year old child.

Anonymous | 1:08 p.m. July 13, 2009
"Ohhhh.... I see, He's Mormon... so obviously it has to be false.*rolls eyes*"

You can either make an intellectual comment or keep your thoughts to yourself

Oh, stop...it has nothing to do with being Mormon. Mike is a great guy and so is his family. If it is found that he is guilty, he should most certainly pay, just like anyone else. But it doesn't take away all the good he has done in his life. He is truly an inspirational person and it is EXTREMELY sad if this happened...for all involved. We still love you guilty or not. Why would you completely turn your back on a dear friend or family member when they make bad choices?? Never!