the bistro off broadway
text
                         
Summers gets a year added to Mercer County’s 20
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – In pronouncing sentence on a Felony 3 Sexual Battery guilty plea, Darke County Common Pleas Judge Jon Hein told Fort Recovery teacher and coach Christopher A. Summers and the other individuals in the courtroom on Oct. 11 he wants Darke County to understand the defendant’s behavior is not acceptable.

“I don’t believe a concurrent sentence gives that message,” he said. Based upon the state guidelines that Summers would be at low risk for reoffending, and this was his first offense, Hein added one year to the 20 years the defendant was given in a Mercer County courtroom on Oct. 10 following his guilty plea to four separate Felony 3 Sexual Battery charges there.

There were more than a dozen observers in the courtroom, including the victim and the victim’s mother and father.

Darke County Prosecutor R. Kelly Ormsby told the court the state was asking for the maximum sentence of five years, to be served concurrently with the Mercer County sentence. Summers’ defense lawyers, Paul Howell and Matthew Lammers, asked the court to accept the prosecution’s recommendation.

The victim’s mother disagreed.

“The past year has been hard for the entire family,” she said. “It has been a nightmare for (victim). No young girl her age should ever be subjected to what happened.

“There was no consent. Mr. Summers did not plead guilty in Mercer County until he began to fear the way the trial was going. He pleaded guilty here because he had no choice. She needs to heal. She can’t do that unless she’s sure this will not happen again.

“I’m here because I want you to add five years to the Mercer County sentence. Please give him the maximum. Please make it consecutive.”

The victim’s comments were more brief, noting Summers had received 20 years the day before, adding “I believe he is worse than that for all the harm he has done to me physically and emotionally.”

Earlier Summers had apologized to the victim, noting the harm he had caused.

“I want to say I’m sorry,” he said. Turning to the victim he said “I’m sorry, (victim).”

He acknowledged the pain to his family… “My children will now be raised by a single mother.”

Ormsby asked for the maximum penalty due to Summers having held a position of trust as the student’s teacher and coach. “The victim suffered under this reprehensible conduct for years and years. It was a living nightmare.” He added the Mercer County prosecution was trying him on eight sexual battery counts. He trusted they would do their job when he agreed to the concurrent recommendation.

“We did not want to put the victim through another trail,” Ormsby said.

Howell told the court the defendant didn’t force the victim into anything. It was a consensual relationship. There was never any harm or threat of harm. He added his client acknowledges a teacher engaged in a sexual relationship with a student is wrong. It is criminal.

“He doesn’t dispute that,” Howell said. “We believe there are no grounds to impose a consecutive sentence; and the prosecution has agreed to a concurrent one.”

Hein thanked the attorneys, acknowledging there was a lot of pressure and stress; this was not easy for any of them.

In imposing the one-year consecutive sentence he told Summers the consequences are not just his, they are his wife and family’s also.

To the victim Hein said he was pleased her comments included she wanted to make a life for herself.

“To be a victim is what happened,” Hein said. “Keep getting the counseling you need. I heard hope. There have been victims who have never come back.”

Hein told her that her dad has his arm around her; she can hug her mom…

“See this for what it is. A good outcome to a horrible situation. Don’t be a victim. You survived. Don’t be stuck in 2012 forever.”

As a Tier III Sex Offender Summers will have to register for the rest of his life. There will also be five years mandatory post release control.

Published courtesy of Blue Bag Media


 
senior scribes
senior scribes

County News Online

is a Fundraiser for the Senior Scribes Scholarship Committee. All net profits go into a fund for Darke County Senior Scholarships
contact
Copyright © 2011 and design by cigs.kometweb.com