A former Ben-gal and high school teacher charged with having sex with a student says there is no evidence it ever happened. 27 year-old Sarah Jones resigned from Dixie Heights High School last fall after those charges, and charges she sent inappropriate text messages to the student, were filed.
Jones went public for the first time Tuesday on a talk radio show with her attorney. Local 12 News Reporter Jeff Hirsh was there listening and later asking questions.
It was probably not too difficult for Eric Deters to get Sarah Jones on his radio show. He's her lawyer and her current employer. Their message: she's a victim of rumor and malicious high school gossip. No."
Deters says, "It's about letting everyone know out there she's not a whore or a slut or a bad person in society."
Jones' defense has a two-pronged strategy. The first is a motion to dismiss the sexual abuse charge, claiming there's no jurisdiction because there's no evidence sex happened anywhere, and if there's no evidence, there's no case. "Are you aware of a single live witness the police have who could corroborate any inappropriate relationship you had? No."
As for the text messages, there's a motion to suppress them, whatever they may say, and if they're not allowed, there's no case there either. However, Deters would not let his client answer a direct question - were you involved in any inappropriate physical or texting relationship with a student? "She's not gonna answer that. We have a trial strategy."
Deters said Jones will testify if their efforts to get the case tossed first don't work. He did offer a legally constructed comment. "As charged, she's not guilty of those charges."
Jones says, "I live day to day, 30 minutes to 30 minutes. I do know that I will be okay in the end."
Jones' mother, Cheryl Jones, a former school principal, is also charged with tampering with evidence in connection with her daughter's case. Cheryl Jones denies that charge, and Deters is asking that it be dismissed.
