From Rick Green’s CT Confidential:
Let’s End Teacher’s Long Nightmare
“The unbelievable story of Julie Amero concluded quietly Friday afternoon at Superior Court in Norwich, with the state of Connecticut dropping four felony pornography charges.
Amero agreed to plead guilty to a single charge of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. Amero, who has been hospitalized and suffers from declining health, also surrendered her teaching license.”
(snip)
“In June of 2007, Judge Hillary B. Strackbein tossed out Amero’s conviction on charges that she intentionally caused a stream of “pop-up” pornography on the computer in her classroom and allowed students to view it. Confronted with evidence compiled by forensic computer experts, Strackbein ordered a new trial, saying the conviction was based on “erroneous” and “false information.”"
(snip)
“Late Friday afternoon Amero — who has been hospitalized for stress and heart problems since the conviction — told me she planned to spend a quiet weekend in front of the fireplace with her husband.”
—
This is such a disturbing case. Just a quick review of the events make it clear that Amero didn’t show porn to the classroom on purpose. I can understand the need for the school to investigate the matter but that’s the most that should have happened. She never should have been arrested.
Something about the phrase “hospitalized for stress” caught my attention. After doing some research I found out more details.
From Hartford Courant:
Let’s End Teacher’s Long Nightmare
“Meanwhile 3½ years after her arrest and a year after her conviction was set aside, Amero’s life continues to be the hell that began with her highly public arrest in November of 2004 on charges of risk of injury to a minor. At the time of her arrest, she was pregnant. She lost the baby.
Over the last year, I’m told, Amero has been hospitalized for stress and has lost at least one job because her employer didn’t like her arrest record. She is on medication. So she waits, declining to speak publicly, for the state to do something.”
And this is our justice system?
Posted by Vixen as News at 11:11 PM CST