Teacher Sodomy Case Progresses

(Spotsylvania, Virginia) Last April, 35-year-old special education teacher at Courtland High School, Bonnie Sue Davis, was arrested and charged with nine offenses involving sexual relations with two students, ages 14 and 15.

At a preliminary hearing yesterday, prosecutor Stuart Sullivan dropped six misdemeanor charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor but said additional indictments may be forthcoming.

It currently appears that the case against Davis will include two counts of oral sodomy and one count of taking indecent liberties with a minor. The case will be heard by the Virginia Circuit Court as opposed to the family court where, according to Spotsylvania Commonwealth Attorney William Neely, judges can close the proceeding from public view.

From Fredericksburg.com:

After the hearing yesterday, Neely and Sullivan summarized the evidence presented against Davis. They said the two sodomy charges relate to Davis twice performing oral sex on the 15-year-old boy. The indecent liberties charge concerns Davis kissing the 14-year-old.

They said the 15-year-old testified yesterday that he had sex with Davis five times this past February--four times at his house on Friday evenings and once at hers on a Wednesday during the school year.

The 15-year-old testified that Davis arranged for him to skip school that Wednesday, Sullivan said. The boy said Davis took him to her house that day. Sullivan said they presented Courtland records showing that Davis called in sick that day--Feb. 8--and that the boy wasn't at school either.

Neely said the 15-year-old was able to accurately describe a tattoo that Davis had on an intimate part of her body.

The 14-year-old's mother testified that she went over to the 15-year-old's house to get her son in February, Sullivan said. She said Davis was in a dark bedroom with her son at the time. The 14-year-old said he kissed Davis while she was naked below the waist.

Ralph Bennett, a private investigator and proprietor of R&R Bennett Inc. in Fredericksburg, began looking into the allegations in March--about a month after Courtland Principal Michael Bedwell met with the boys and determined that there had been no sexual contact between them and Davis.

So, it appears that a private investigator was needed to find evidence of nefarious behavior on the part of Davis. The school was seemingly witless.

Next, the case proceeds to Circuit Court. More later.


[Update 08/23/06]

Davis has been indicted on two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She is scheduled to be arraigned on September 22. If she pleads guilty, Commonwealth Attorney William Neely stated that his office may not pursue felony charges.

Uh -- I sense that Davis is going to get a hand slap. I hope I'm wrong.


[Update 09/23/06]

Here's a shock. No jail for Davis.