Former teacher to use insanity plea against charges of sex with student

[edbermac]

TAMPA - When a young Hillsborough County teacher was accused this summer of having a sexual affair with a 14-year-old student, many people's first reaction to the notorious case was, 'She's crazy.' Tuesday, Debra Lafave's attorney announced that his client would indeed be using an insanity defense.

Lafave, 24, is facing charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, stemming from accusations that the former Greco Middle School teacher had sex with the student both at school and in a car driven by the student's cousin in Ocala.

http://www.abcactionnews.com/stories/2004/11/041130lafave.shtml

You know about thirty odd years ago if I got a tongue kiss from some of the Catholic high school girls I dated that would be a major event in my life. Now all I read about these days are all these hot teachers having sex with their students; what is this world coming to?

:evilgrin:

[fryguy]

1. what was she thinking?

she's a good looking woman who i'm sure wouldn't have any problems meeting guys her own age - or at least of legal age - what the hell was she doing chasing 14-year old kids????

[Worst Username Ever]

2. I don't think it has to do with sex I think it has to do with power

[edbermac]

3. Read story; Atty says she was depressed over death of her sister

For what that's worth; who knows nowadays? Maybe she's a Mary Kay Letourneau fan...

[K-W]

7. That combined with warped experience with sex and intimacy

could very easily motivate someone to act in extremily odd ways.

[fryguy]

8. depressed over sister's death ---> sleep with 14-year old

i guess i don't see the connection....but then i'm not preparing her defense or a psychologist

[K-W]

11. You never learned to act out sexually in response to trauma.

It is very possible that she did, and not just that, but to act out in odd or unhealthy sexual relationships.

[K-W]

5. I would venture to guess her sexual history is not a bright one,

and that someone warped her pretty bad at a young age as far as sex and intimacy are concerned.

[partisan to truth]

4. copout defense IMHO

there are many reasons that people have sex when they shouldn't- especially when a difference in power is involved.

[K-W]

9. Probably, that is, legally speaking.

Since a legal defense of insanity isnt so much based on sanity. She has to prove that she did not know that what she did was wrong when she did it.

I cant imagine that is either true, or they can prove it.

Just from the facts of the case I assume that this women does need serious psychological help.

[Not_Giving_Up]

6. OK, let's remember

That there's a difference between "crazy" and legal insanity. She has to prove that she didn't know that what she was doing was wrong.

[fryguy]

12. depends

on whether Fla. follows The McNaughton Rule(not knowing right from wrong); The Durham rule (irresistible impulse); ALI Rule (substantial capacity); or some hybrid

[Blue_Tires]

10. and naturally,

she's wearing a cross to display her xtian values

[jarab]

13. Failing to find sympathy ....

if I correctly transpose the "inequality" as being an adult male instructor and a fourteen-year-old female student.
How many of us would try to find excuses in "his" background? Very few, I would suppose.
Let's call her a pervert as we would almost any man similarly situated, regardless of the pitifully weak plea intentions.
...O...

[K-W]

14. Race to the bottom equality, eh?

Yah, screw all this rationality and compassion.

Lets just call them all perverts and lock them up. God forbid we look at why people do these things so that we could... I dunno, find ways to stop this kind of thing from happening.

But it is always more important to assign blame than it is analyze causes, right America?

[anonymous44]

15. damn i wish that she was my teacher