Student Commits Suicide as Teacher Appeals Sex Conviction 

(Salt Lake City, Utah) Former teacher and girls' athletics coach, Arielle M. Beck, 26, was convicted in 2003 of forcible sexual abuse, supplying alcohol to a minor, and stalking. Judge Lyle Anderson sentenced her to three consecutive one-to-15-year terms in prison. Beck has a parole release date of October 24.

Nonetheless, her conviction at the 2003 jury trial is being appealed. According to Beck's attorney, Edward Brass, a reversal of the conviction is warranted based upon bias by Judge Anderson during the trial. Not everyone agrees.

From AttorneyGeneral.Utah.gov:

The Utah Attorney General's Office will ask the Court of Appeals to uphold the conviction of a Moab volunteer teacher and softball coach who engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student. A jury found Arielle M. Beck guilty of 3 second-degree felony counts of forcible sexual abuse, 1 class-A misdemeanor count of supplying alcohol to a minor and 1 class-A misdemeanor count of stalking.

According to testimony presented at the trial, Beck started "grooming" the student for a sexual relationship in the summer of 2002 shortly after she became the girl's coach in a community softball league. Beck then pursued the relationship while volunteering as a teacher's assistant in the victim's English class. Students and teachers started noticing that the two were having an inappropriate relationship. In addition, the victim's mother discovered love letters and e-mails from Beck to the victim. The victim's mother then secured a restraining order against Beck-an order that was violated by the defendant.

The victim testified at the trial that the relationship was confusing to her and that she had twice attempted to commit suicide. After the trial was over, the victim took her own life.

My take is that Beck probably deserves more, not less, punishment. Also, with parole only months away, it's unclear why the defense would even pursue an appeal. Furthermore, since prima facie evidence indicates that Beck's actions were a contributing factor in the girl's death, it appears that she could be charged with reckless indifference to human life.

Of course, Beck denied the charges against her and claimed the girl made up a story. So, the Court of Appeals will look at it. The victim's mother, Sherilyn Sowell, is obviously not happy. Her daughter is dead and Beck will walk out of prison fairly soon, with or without a reversal.


[Update 05/05/06]

From SLTrib.com:

Citing the trial judge's "obvious error," the Utah Court of Appeals has granted a new trial for Arielle Beck, a volunteer Moab teacher and softball coach who was convicted of sexually abusing a 14-year-old student.

But prosecuting Beck again may be more difficult because the alleged victim has since committed suicide.

In a ruling handed down Thursday, the appeals court said jurors in Beck's trial in September 2003 may have been unduly influenced by the pointed questions put to Beck by 7th District Judge Lyle Anderson.

Anderson engaged in "prolonged and adversarial questioning" of Beck while she was on the witness stand, according to a unanimous decision written by appellate Judge James Davis.

Sad case, eh?


[Update 09/15/07]

Beck is released.