Andrea Billingsley Verdict Overturned - Updated

(West Jordan, Utah) Major development in the Andrea Billingsley case.

A 3rd District judge on Monday overturned the conviction of a former aide at West Jordan Middle School who was found guilty of sexually abusing two students in November.

In a surprise ruling, Judge Robert Adkins lifted the guilty verdict against Andrea Billingsley, 31, just four days before Billingsley was scheduled to face a sentencing of up to life in prison in Adkins’ courtroom.

But the case against Billingsley won’t be thrown out all together.

It has been set before a new judge and could be retried. A decision on when and whether there will be a second trial has not been made — and perhaps won’t be made until a series of potential appeals from both prosecutors and defense attorneys are sorted through.

Adkins ruled in favor of Billingsley’s defense attorneys, who filed motions contesting her conviction based on evidence defense should have been allowed to present to the jury regarding the juvenile victims’ "past history," said attorney Rhome D. Zabriskie.

It ain't over 'til it's over, eh?

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Teacher's Aide and Boys "Ménage à trois" - Updated
[Previous 11/13/10 post]
(West Jordan, Utah) After three hours of deliberation last night, a jury convicted 32-year-old Andrea Billingsley of performing various sex acts with two teenage boys.

She was found guilty on all seven counts, including three of sodomy, three of forcible sex abuse and one count of rape.

The young men were 15 and 16 when the events took place and one of them testified in court that Billingsley had shown the teen pictures of her naked breasts before touching his biceps and chest, slipping her hand in his pants, fondling him and ultimately performing oral sex on the student. A few weeks later, a friend had revealed to him a message from Billingsley, asking him to call her, according to court testimony.

The teen and a friend met up with Billingsley, who had e-mailed additional naked pictures of herself to the teen, and the three went to a local park in her vehicle.

Billingsley and both teenage boys ended up in the back of the vehicle, where she engaged in various sexual acts with both of them, according to their testimony. The second teen told of one encounter involving all three individuals.

A sentencing date is to be determined.

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Utah Teacher's Aide and Two Boys
[Previous 10/28/09 post]
(West Jordan, Utah) A 31-year-old teacher's aide formerly at West Jordan Middle School, Andrea Billingsley, was arrested yesterday for allegedly engaging in sexual relations with two 15-year-old male students.

Billingsley faces possible charges of forcible sexual abuse, forcible sodomy and distributing pornographic materials to minors. Authorities were alerted after the boys started bragging of their sexual conquests at school.

According to West Jordan Police Officer Dan Roberts, Billingsley met the boys while supervising an in-school suspension class.

Police believe the sexual encounters occurred sometime between May and July. Roberts said investigators believe Billingsley would meet up with the boys on school grounds and take them elsewhere for a sexual relationship.

Billingsley was a part-time employee without needing certification during that time and was not asked to return due to lack of funds for the position, said Jordan School District spokeswoman Melinda Colton.

Billingsley was booked into custody at the Salt Lake County Jail.