The word is that former middle school teacher Allenna Williams Ward will be sentenced on Feb. 19 for criminal sexual misconduct with underaged teenage boys.
Ward is a former language arts teacher at the Bell Street Middle School in Clinton, South Carolina. Her story hit the news last year when it was revealed that Ward had been charged with having sexual contact with 5 boys between the ages of 14 and 15, some of whom were her students.
In the ensuing months Ward maintained her innocence as many charges and counter-charges were hurled between various parties involved in the case.
Then, the shocker came when Ward pleaded guilty in a plea bargain arrangement and tearfully confessed to the crimes. She waived a jury trial as part of the plea bargain and threw herself on the mercy of the Judge in the case.
After months of basically no information being provided to the news media, word came that Ward would be sentenced on Feb. 19 at the Laurens County Courthouse, although this information has not been confirmed by the Circuit Solicitor's office.
Controvery continues to swirl around this case, however, as many still do not believe that Ward is guilty but rather believe that she confessed under duress to avoid a possible conviction that could potentially land her in prison for the rest of her life.
One such person, who shall remain anonymous, sent the following letter to The Liberty Sphere concerning this case. We will publish the letter, leaving it to the reader to determine whether or not the claims contained therein merit thorough consideration.
"I have just finished reading the comments in both blogs RACIAL OVERTONES PLAGUE ALLENNA WARD CASE and ALLENNA WILLIAMS WARD SAYS ‘NOT GUILTY’
"I also watched the news video of her tearful apology for what she had done.
"That said; I still do not believe Ms. Ward is guilty of sexual misconduct with those teenagers. It is perhaps easy for someone to say they would never take a “plea bargain” if innocent as one of the folks stated. But in light of the apparent racial angle, the reaction of the neighborhood, the sad tendency of presuming guilty until proven innocent, the strains of “house arrest”, being cut off from society as normal, fear of spending perhaps years incarcerated with hardened felons – that may cause one to change their mind. This young woman’s life is ruined already – guilty or innocent – because of the accusations. Even if found innocent in a court of law she would not be able to teach again, she would be considered guilty in the eyes of many despite being found innocent. Maybe a plea bargain would offer continued house arrest for a shorter period of time. How can anyone avow they would never admit guilt when innocent unless they were in the situation themselves? Did you HEAR that young woman’s apology in court on that video? It was a prepared statement READ through her tears. She is no more guilty than I am – and I know I’m not – maybe she is taking the “best” alternative in an attempt to avoid prison time and prolonged strain and heartache for her family. She sounded like someone admitting guilt in an attempt to accept the lesser of two evils, to get it over with.
"If she is guilty, and I stand by my belief she isn’t, she needs guidance and counseling as well as the boys. With the right counseling these boys can overcome and move beyond this if they were indeed victims.
"If she is innocent she has been tainted for life either way – by accepting a plea bargain or being found innocent by the court. I cannot comprehend that many teenage boys keeping something like that a “secret”, this is a sad, sad situation. And the boys….if they ruined an innocent woman’s life will they be punished or learn anything from it?"
What say you? Do you believe at this point in the process that Ward is truly guilty or did she confess to crimes she did not commit in order to avoid a life-sentence?
Saturday, February 16, 2008
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12 comments:
She is guilty. There are journals where she talks about what she has done. There are text messages along with other evidence. She is not as innocent as some believe and thats exactly what she wants people to believe. I'm sure you will ask "well how do you know this" and at this time, I can't disclose how I got this information. I can only say that I know more than I want to. This has been a hard time not only for her family but for her husband and his family. They are victims also. She has not only destroyed her life, her family's life but has destroyed her husband's life as well. Do I think she needs to go to jail? Who knows. Maybe they should just give her probation and make her register as a sex offender. Regardless, her life is ruined.
She is as guilty as sin. Didn't you read what she wrote in her diary that police confiscated?? She took 3 boys to a hotel, had sex with them and let them take nude pictures of her with a cellphone. The cops had PLENTY of evidence. I'd like to know what she said to her husband about her sick activities with boys.
To this day she has not told her husband anything. She hasn't even apologized to him. If you recall her apology in Court, she never apologized to her family either. She is a cold messed up person. Oh and it was 2 boys not 3 at the hotel.
How could you possibly know anything like that unless you are a member of the family with inside information?
And we cannot verify any of that without your name and how you came to get that info. The only reason I posted it was to show that believing hearsay evidence without any verification at all is nothing but engaging in useless gossip.
Thus, these types of comments will not be allowed in the future.
I will not give my name and you don't have to post my comments. You don't need my name to verify anything. Every thing I have posted has already been brought to light any way. And what do you mean by hearsay evidence...the journals and text messages were disclosed in COURT when she plead guilty...far from hearsay evidence if you ask me. The information about the sentencing can be verified. All you have to do is call the Solicitor. So what I have wrote in my comments is not gossip.
Why did you post a blog about her being sentenced without verifing the information first and then call me out about gossiping. I am done with this. Be sure and watch the news tomorrow b/c you will see that she was sentenced. Peace out.
I'm a total outsider. But I think she was guilty. Most people that plead guilty do so because they're guilty. At the very least, the prosecutor must have had a strong case against her.
This has really been a strange case in a lot of ways. The racial angle, the teacher/student angle, the marriage angle...just weird.
She'll have a long time in prison to think about what she did, and to maybe try to make something better of her life when she gets out.
I think that that is ironic that you publish an anonymous opinion letter about this person's probable innocence, but then when an anonymous person states the opinion she is truly guilty--you won't allow further comment. Seems that is just to skew the public opinion.
It was the content of the comment in question that I had reservations about. Personal information like that could potentially be a breach of confidentiality of some sort, and I did not want to be party to it.
The letter that I published was an opinion piece--the author claimed no insider information that could not be confirmed.
I am not trying to sway public opinion. This case has been odd from the start, and I have tried to create a place where all sides could be examined in light of its shocking nature.
"Personal information like that could potentially be a breach of confidentiality of some sort, and I did not want to be party to it."
Did I miss something. How can what I posted be a breach of confidentiality. All I said was that she has not been truthful to her husband and apologized to him or her family. What does that have to do with confidentiality?
Normally private discussions between husbands and wives or among family members are considered private--confidential--not for public consumption.
How do you know what she has discussed with her husband behind closed doors? How do you know what she has discussed with her parents or other family members?
Did she tell you? Did one of them tell you? If so, did they understand you were going to post it on a message board? If not, that is a breach of their confidence in you to keep private conversations private.
On the other hand, if they did not tell you any of this information, which you then proceeded share with the whole world openly, then you are engaging in gossip and hearsay.
So, which is it?
This is so useless. I am not going to continue this back and forth with you. Its over and done with. Everyone is moving on...or at least trying to. I am doing the same.
What are the thoughts about the sentencing and statements from the psychiatrist?
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