:BRIGHTSTUFF:..Personal & Political Musings & Rants by a Liberal Leftist Black & Asian Teacher

I realized that I never updated you on the trial that I testified at.

HUNG JURY.

What in the hell?

I really don't understand what is wrong with people.

Without divulging too much (because I may have to testify again), the jury came back with a decision of 9-3 in this case.

This is how it began:

In my first year of teaching, a student of mine came to me to tell me that her stepfather was abusing her. As a teacher, I am considered a mandated reporter of abuse which means that I had to tell the school social worker (which I did).

What bugs me is that throughout the trial, they had to stop twice because she was weeping so badly as she recounted what happened. She had to return to the witness room (where I sat) at least twice.

This man actually plead guilty the first time, but then plead innocent when the first trial was thrown out on a technicality.

I don't understand how this resulted in a hung jury. The child was obviously traumatized and was fearful of seeing the man she accused of abusing her.

Soooo...I may have to testify again. Yeah. I'm thrilled.