In a Laurens County courtroom today, former Bell Street Middle School teacher Allenna Williams Ward received 6 years in prison for two counts of second-degree criminal sexual misconduct with a minor, and three counts of performing lewd acts on a minor.
Originally Ward had been charged with crimes that could have carried a life-sentence. The charges were reduced in a plea bargain arrangement where Ward agreed to waive her right to a jury trial and have her case determined by a Judge.
Ward's defense team presented a psychologist who testified that Ward suffers from two serious psychiatric disorders--dependent personality disorder and a sexual disorder.
The defendant once again apologized to the young men, their families, and the community.
Her sentence seemed very light to some of those gathered outside the courthouse. When Circuit Solicitor Jerry Peace was questoned about the sentence and the charge of racism (Ward is white and her victims are black), Peace quickly stated that the Judge in the case is black--Judge Casey Manning.
Peace also stated that in these types of cases that are pleaded out, a sentence of 3 to 8 years is normal and 6 falls within the normal range.
Ms. Ward will have to serve 85% of her sentence before she is eligible for parole, and she will be housed in a maximum security prison due to the nature of her crimes.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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2 comments:
Where will she be serving her sentence and when will it start? Have you heard any more about her husband? Is he still supporting her or does he plan to divorce her?
Someone said on the comment section of another post on The Liberty Sphere that her husband had filed for divorce, but I cannot personally confirm that.
I have no idea where she will serve her sentence, but I assume her sentence started immediately.
My guess is that she will serve her sentence in one of the maximum security prisons for women in the midlands of SC.
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