Defense Attorney: "Teen instigated it" while prosecutor says "Burton is a child molester"[/

Defense Attorney: "Teen instigated it" while prosecutor says "Burton is a child molester"

August 27, 2009

A 39-year-old former Orangefield Junior High teacher and coach is behind bars for ten years.



Jennifer Burton finalized her plea deal with prosecutors this afternoon when she pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault and one charge of improper relationship with a student.

But even with the case closed, both attorneys are clashing over the details.

While the now convicted sex offender, 39-year-old Jennifer Burton, had no comment for KFDM just after she entered her guilty plea in an orange county courtroom, her defense attorney had just the opposite.

Attorney Larry Hunter said, "She had a very stellar lifestyle, she was an asset to the community, very good person, but unfortunately, fell into this situation with a victim who was not only a participant, an active participant, but was actually an instigator for the sexual contact."

Almost two months ago, Hunter told District Judge Pat Clark, the former teacher would take a trial by jury for the six indictments of sexual assault and improper relationship with a 14-year-old female student.

But Hunter says that plan fell to the wayside when, "subsequent contact between the defendant and the teen occurred, which was instigated by the teen."

As a result, Burton's bond was increased last week, and she was put in jail. Eventually, the former Orangefield Junior High teacher and coach accepted the 10-year-jail-time plea deal offered by the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Hunter said, "She's not 100% responsible for what happened, she's serving a 100% of the sentence and that's where I think we as a society have somewhat failed."

"She is a 100% criminally responsible, it is inappropriate and improper to imply a child victim should be prosecuted or even help responsible for this act," said Orange County Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland.

Kneeland says Burton is a child molester, plain and simple, and she's hurt more than the victim.

He said, "She violated the trust, not only of a family relationship, she was a mother figure to this child, she violated the trust of all mothers everywhere in taking care of a child and she violated the trust of all teachers everywhere."

Kneeland says the outcome of this case should send a loud and clear message to Orange County.

"We have to emphasize to the community that if you're going to have sex with children, you're gonna get caught, and you're gonna get punished," he said.

As part of the plea bargain, Burton will also have to register as a sex offender. She will be eligible for parole after five years in jail.

http://www.kfdm.com/news/instigated-33800-ada-molester.html

Previous News Video Report On This Case:-

Teenagers will have "crushes," on teachers. It is the teacher's responsibility, as the adult involved, to make sure that the boundaries are very clearly set.