Reader comments
Defense attorney attacks girl's truthfulness

Ace | 4:32 p.m. June 3, 2009

Its difficult to imagine having this girl in my class.

Common Sense | 5:12 p.m. June 3, 2009

If this man is guilty, I hope he gets forever in prison. If he's not, when will we stop accepting the words of a child as being truthful when a child has a history of deciept? I've seen many lives ruined because so little critical thought goes into these cases. Children do NOT have more value than adults. We must take these claims seriously without throwing common sense out the window, and without "convicting" parents, teachers, and others in the blind pursuit of child protection.

Jon | 5:19 p.m. June 3, 2009

At this point I don't think this girl knows what the truth is. Sounds like she did have an affair with at least one other teacher. My question. Where the heck are the parents during this time?

Comments continue below

The Legend | 5:26 p.m. June 3, 2009

This is a waste of taxpayers money! It seems they have no evidence to link this teacher to these crimes. How does a detective make this arrest without a fingerprint, DNA sample, or really any evidence at all save for the testimony of a clearly troubled youth and her even more unstable father. This girl should have to face the same life sentance the teacher is facing if her story is found to be fabricated (as it seems to be). The detective who made the arrest should be fired on the spot for wasting out money without a shread of evidence.

Sad, sad, sad | 5:39 p.m. June 3, 2009

It's beyond obvious this girl is lying and has been lying long and hard. Sadly, the poor guy on trial now will probably get incarcerated like the other one she accused. Given that she's likely lying now, what are the odds she was telling the truth about the other one?

Anonymous | 6:49 p.m. June 3, 2009

as for Sad @5:39 the other teacher admitted to a relationship with the girl. As for this case, I am wondering how she could be intimate with this person so many times and her father and I believe she does have a step mother are clueless to her activities. Having been through this before I would be babysitting her night and day. I also wonder why she is so promiscuous and seeking the attention of older men. I hope she gets the psychological therapy she is in need of.

Really???? | 7:09 p.m. June 3, 2009

An attorney attacking truthfullness???????? NOT an attorney. That would be a pot calling a kettle black.

Innocent? Guilty? | 7:09 p.m. June 3, 2009

Who knows, except for the teacher and the student?

I will say that after reading a NON-fiction book by John Grisham, "The Innocent Man", about a man from a small town in Oklahoma being wrongfully convicted of rape and murder, my confidence level in accurate and fair police work where the criminals get caught and are punished absolutely plummeted.

I TOTALLY agree that the word of a minor female should NOT be any more important than the word of an adult male, ESPECIALLY when it has been absolutely proven that she is promiscuous and he has a solid reputation as a moral person.

If I had to take a guess based on what I've read about the case I'd say he's innocent.

Re: Sad, sad, sad | 7:31 p.m. June 3, 2009

They caught the girl and the other man in the act, so to speak, and he admitted his part in it. She clearly wasn't lying about that.

And frankly, to me, it doesn't sound like she's lying about this one, either. She's a teenager. What kind of teen you know would write down the exact dates of every kind of encounter they have with their boyfriend or girlfriend? How is she supposed to remember exactly what happened on a specific day, unless there was something else that happened that day to make it memorable, like the school dance? He obviously called home that night, just like she said he did. How did she know that if she wasn't around to see the phone call?

If I asked you what you were doing October 17th of last year, would you know? Could you swear to it under oath, without getting mixed up at all, when somebody was yelling in your face?

Anonymous | 9:37 p.m. June 3, 2009

It is so easy to accuse and then ruin someone...

Vindictive?...an excuse?...

Anonymous | 7:33 a.m. June 4, 2009

I don't know much about the case, and I certainly don't know what the truth is here, but kids have falsely accused before, ruining lives of innocent people. It is an age old problem. Tread carefully. Read "The Crucible" for an interesting comparison.

Anonymous | 7:43 a.m. June 4, 2009

While this teacher hasn't been proven to have done anything in the realm of sexual misconduct, his behavior had been unprofessional for a long time and should result in a hearing regarding his license after the courts have made a decision.

It is unprofessional to call students cutie. It is also unprofessional to be with a student alone. It is also unprofessional to encourage relationships that extend beyond the classroom scope. I am appalled his supervisors had not done something to correct this known behavior before accusations occurred.

I have no problem telling students as a group that you love them or individually. I do have a problem when the teacher uses such things in a flirtatious way.

Re: Anonymous | 8:24 a.m. June 4, 2009

Exactly. Alot of people here seem to forget there is incontrovertible evidence that he was up late at nights chatting with the girl and sending her inappropriate e-mails.

Is he guilty of rape? I'm not sure, but I do know he should be fired and never allowed to work as a teacher again.

Anonymous | 9:08 a.m. June 4, 2009

Professionalism has waned in recent years to where we must seriously question policies within our schools. I have found kids left unsupervised, witnessed questionable conduct countless times and these things are accepted by administrators.

West high has not been vigilant in their responsibility to supervise and correct unprofessional conduct which has been going on for a long time. A thorough cleaning of administration is in order.

Wow | 9:38 a.m. June 4, 2009

Wow. I think it's so interesting how quick everyone is to judge the teacher or the girl based on the limited facts reported on this case by the press. Such comments like "he should never be allowed to work as a teacher again", or "it's beyond obvious the girl is lying" or even stating that there is "incontrovertible evidence". Give me a break!

As a lawyer myself, I am well aware of the lack of information that gets reported in newspapers compared to what goes on in the actual trial. In addition, the press will often skew whatever small information they choose to report to fit the story.

I believe the judge will make a proper verdict based on ALL of the information that is presented in the case. However, whatever the outcome, I have little faith that the public will STOP judging the accuser or the defendant for the rest of their lives.

Re: Wow | 10:39 a.m. June 4, 2009

And as a lawyer you should recognize that Mr. Fanjul's defense team has not ever disputed the existence or content of the large number of printed e-mails and chat records introduced by the prosecution.

The main argument of the defense is that he didn't ever have sexual relations with "that girl", not that he wasn't chatting with her late at night.

Yes, the Media often omit facts or distort evidence to suit their agenda; we see examples of that daily when it comes to their coverage of the current president.

But when a defendant's own lawyers publicly admit their client had a relationship with the girl you can't just dismiss it as spin.

JAYEG | 1:46 p.m. June 4, 2009

It would seem that a lawyer should be required to behave with a certain amount of decorum and self control in the courtroom...especially when dealing with a child.

From what I read in this article...it certainly seemed as if the lawyer was behaving childishly with all his shouting.

Re: JAYEG | 4:18 p.m. June 4, 2009

I completely disagree JAYEG. The 16-yr old girl is making 'big-girl' accusations which could result in the defendant getting up to life in prison. With that in mind i think that the lawyer has every right to shout as much as he needs to get his point across when his client's life is as stake.

Sad Times | 5:29 p.m. June 4, 2009

Apparently, a girl 16 beguiled a male teacher who had no control over his passions. Explicit emails document the existence of a sexual relationship between them whether physical or not. Did the male teacher knowingly take advantage of a vulnerable girl irrespective of her presumed overt sexualuality? The disparate prosecution of this male teacher vs. the two female Bountiful Jr. High teachers who had sexual relationships with a 13 year old boy is unbelievable. The predatory behaviors of the man and these women against the girl and boy are the same. One woman's attorney says she was "vulnerable." Does this suggest the boy was too sexy and overwhelmed her self control? Can't this argument be made for a "vulnerable" man being overwhelmed by a sexy girl? These two cases have attorneys who are using sexual stereotypes: (1) a woman's non-aggressive sexuality (the female teacher); (2) a woman's overwhelming seductive powers (the girl); (3) a man lacks self control (male teacher) when seduced; and (4) a woman lacks the capacity to resist(boy). Conclusion, these teachers abused their positions to further their selfish interests and should be treated equally.

Janae | 11:00 a.m. June 18, 2009

that is so sad on ow the attorney was harassing the girl but then again he could've done it in a nicer way...male teachers these days...it is so sad

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