Judge Rejects Debra Lafave's Plea Deal

A Florida judge has rejected a plea bargain that would have allowed former teacher Debra Lafave to avoid any jail time for charges that she had sex with one of her 14-year-old students.

Prosecutors had reached an agreement with Lafave's attorney that would have resolved the charges against her in two Florida counties and given her three years house arrest and seven years of probation.

One of the reasons given for the plea deal was to allow the two teenage boys who would have been witnesses at her trial to avoid the trauma of having to testify. But Judge Hale Stancil balked at the deal.

The judge said he wanted to hear expert testimony about the trial's negative impact on the two boys. In the meantime, he set a trial date for Lafave for April.

The prosecutors and Lafave's defense attorney plan to come up with another plea deal before the trial date, the State Attorney's Office said. Lafave faced a possible 30 years in prison if convicted at trial.

See Also:
Judge Rejects Teacher's Plea in Sex Case

Earlier Articles:
Florida Child Molester Gets Probation
Teacher Who Had Sex With Teen Says She's Insane
Debra Lafave Turns Down Plea Deal

Background:
Myths About Sexual Assault