Jurors have returned a "not guilty" verdict for a former Northern Kentucky teacher accused of having sex with a student.
Nicole Howell taught English at Dayton High School, until she was arrested last January and charged first degree sexual abuse with a 16 year old boy at the school. The teen says he had sex with Howell on several occasions at her Covington apartment. Howell denies she had sex with the student.
The jury got the case and began deliberating just after 2 p.m. Local 12 received word a decision was reached just before 3:30 p.m. The jury found her not guilty. Howell had faced up to five years in prison if convicted.
The teen who leveled the accusations against Howell was not in the courtroom for the verdict. But several members of Howell's family were and had an enthusiastic response.
Later, Howell spoke with Local 12's Joe Webb Live on Local 12 First at Four, saying,
"I am so relieved that it is over. I told somebody earlier I feel like the Great Wall of China's been lifted off of my shoulders. It's just been a struggle from day one trying to deal with why I am in this position and what happened and what I could have done to prevent it."
Later, she said, "I'm realizing now I should have been a little more guarded." Howell also says she can't imagine going back to teaching, even with a not-guilty verdict, because she believes she'd spend most of her time defending herself instead of teaching.
