Debra Lafave
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| Debra Jean Beasley | |
|---|---|
 mug shot taken in 2009 | |
| Born | August 28, 1980 Riverview, Florida, U.S. |
| Charge(s) | Lewd and lascivious battery |
| Penalty | House arrest (3 years) Probation (7 years) |
| Status | Community control |
| Occupation | former teacher |
| Spouse | Kristian Owen Lafave (divorced) |
Contents[show] |
[edit] Early life and education
Lafave is a University of South Florida graduate.[1] She maintained a high B average in college,[2] and after graduation she landed a job teaching English at a middle school in Temple Terrace, Florida. After her first year of teaching, she married Owen Lafave in 2003.[3][edit] The relationship
Lafave had oral sex and sexual intercourse with the student on four different occasions, from her classroom portable, to her car, and her house.[4][edit] Arrest and trial
Investigating officers pursued the case after being notified by the 14-year-old boy's mother.[5] Officers tape-recorded conversations between Lafave and the boy, then arrested her at their next meeting. Two separate sets of charges were filed, because the alleged incidents occurred in two different counties. A trial date was set after the defense would not agree on a plea bargain that involved prison time.Shortly before the trial was scheduled to begin, the boy's mother learned that it was to be covered by Court TV and agreed to a plea bargain with no prison time in order to avoid her young son having to testify in court.[6] Lafave pleaded guilty under the agreement and was sentenced to three years of Community Control (house arrest) and seven years of probation, along with various other requirements.[7] There was widespread skepticism as to whether a man guilty of statutory rape would have received similar treatment.[6][8]
On December 8, 2005, the judge in the second county refused to accept plea-agreement terms that included no prison time and set a trial date for April 10, 2006. The prosecutor in that case later dropped the charges.[9]
On October 29, 2009, it was announced that Debra Lafave is allowed to have contact with some children.[10][dead link]
[edit] Physical appearance
Commentators have claimed that the attention given to this particular case arises from Lafave's physical beauty.[11][12] Provocative modeling photographs of Lafave have circulated on the Internet since she first gained notoriety.[12]During the case her defense attorney made headlines by remarking to the media that "to place Debbie into a Florida state women's penitentiary, to place an attractive young woman in that kind of hellhole, is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions." In a book written by her ex-husband Owen Lafave, he suggests that this statement was an intentional ploy by the attorney.[13]
The Tampa Police Department also came under scrutiny when it was revealed they took graphic nude photos of Lafave while she was in stirrups in a jail cell. John Gillespie, the lead detective who requested the nude photos of Lafave, was arrested before the trial in an unrelated prostitution sting.[14]
Lafave later attributed her indiscretions to bipolar disorder, which is associated with intense and irregular mood swings, and with hypersexuality and poor judgment during manic episodes.[15]
Debra Lafave was arrested on December 4, 2007, for violating her probation by speaking with a 17-year-old female restaurant coworker.[16][17] The court ruled, however, that the violation was neither willful nor substantial, and did not revoke her probation.
Lafave's ex-husband appeared on numerous talk shows regarding how his then-wife's crime had affected their relationship. He is in the documentary After School, which focuses on teacher/student relationships.
[edit] See also
- Sexual harassment in education
- Statutory rape
- Age of consent
- Pamela Rogers Turner
- Mary Kay Letourneau
[edit] References
- ^ Colavecchio-Van Sickler, Shannon. Tampabay: Teacher considers plea deal in sex case, June 16, 2005. Accessed February 8, 2009.
- ^ Lauer, Matt. Debra Lafave: Crossing the Line, Dateline NBC, MSNBC, September 13, 2006. Accessed June 26, 2010.
- ^ Debra Lafave: Crossing the Line, Dateline NBC
- ^ [1]
- ^ Tampa Bay Breaking News
- ^ a b Krause, Thomas W. Lafave Signs Plea, Tampa Bay Online, November 23, 2005. Accessed July 15, 2008.
- ^ Rondeaux, Candace. No jail time for Lafave, St. Petersburg Times, November 22, 2005. Accessed July 15, 2008.
- ^ Fatal Beauty: 15 Most Notorious Women, E! Network, June 6, 2009.
- ^ Hillsborough: Charges dropped against Lafave
- ^ . http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/29/ap/national/main5453559.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody.[dead link]
- ^ Wendy Cook (April 10, 2008). "Debra Lafave Sexy Photos Offer: Will Teacher Strip After Probation?". National Ledger. http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272619977.shtml.
- ^ a b Jon Shanks (April 10, 2008). "Racy Photos of Debra Lafave Hot Again After Teacher Gets Off". National Ledger. http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272619965.shtml.
- ^ Gorgeous Disaster: The Tragic Story of Debra Lafave. Owen Lafave, September 2006. Publisher: Phoenix Books. ISBN 1597775347
- ^ "Detective investigating Debra Lafave has also been arrested" WTSB-Tampa Bay News Report, 9/16/2005 [2]
- ^ Debra Lafave: ‘I crossed the line’, MSNBC, September 12, 2006. Accessed July 15, 2008.
- ^ WTSP - Tampa Bay's 10 News. "Debra Lafave arrested today". December 4, 2007 [3]
- ^ Former teacher who had sex with student back in trouble, CNN, December 4, 2007. Accessed July 15, 2008.