Posted on 07/19/2006 12:56:48 PM PDT by DBeers
VISTA -- A former Escondido middle school teacher -- denounced by victims' families as a predator and praised by his family and friends as a decent man who would never harm children ---- was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years to life in state prison.
Peter Thomas Ziskin, 44, of Solana Beach was convicted in May of 17 of the 26 child molestation charges prosecutors had filed against him. Ziskin was acquitted of six of the charges, and jurors were unable to reach a verdict on three counts.
The charges involved allegations that Ziskin fondled nine male students, some repeatedly, while roughhousing with them between September 2004 and January 2005 on the campus of Rincon Middle School. He also was accused of trying to molest the son of a longtime friend.
The charges of which jurors convicted Ziskin were related to eight of the Rincon students. Jurors cleared Ziskin on charges involving the ninth student and the son of Ziskin's friend.
A longtime substitute teacher for a number of North County school districts, Ziskin was in his first year as a full-time teacher at Rincon when an aide reported that she had seen him with his hand down the pants of a male student.
That prompted a police investigation that resulted in at least a dozen alleged victims. Ziskin's supporters claimed investigators asked suggestive questions, leading the students to believe they had been molested.
Ziskin's attorney, Don Levine, said in court Tuesday that he will file a notice of Ziskin's intent to appeal the case.
Thomas Cleary, one of Ziskin's friends, said in court Tuesday that close to 100 people volunteered to testify on Ziskin's behalf at his trial and that decent people do not rally to support a depraved or guilty person.
"He's a decent man with an optimistic perspective on life and nothing but good in his heart," Cleary said of Ziskin.
Ziskin's sisters described him as "committed to service and the well-being of others," citing as examples Ziskin helping his niece at the University of Colorado, encouraging and comforting his nephew in the hospital, and caring for his ailing parents.
"The real Peter Ziskin would never try to harm any of his students," Ziskin's sister, Barbara Gray, said.
However, harm them is exactly what Ziskin did, a prosecutor and relatives of some of the students said in court.
"His crimes were the ultimate betrayal of a position of trust," Deputy District Attorney Tracy Prior said. "School is safe. School is a second home. And school is off limits to sexual deviants."
The father of one of the victims said Ziskin was the "cool teacher," but abused those who trusted him, turning a parent's greatest fear into reality.
"You have sexually abused our children," the father said.
With short, black hair and wearing eyeglasses and a blue jail jumpsuit, Ziskin sat up straight in his chair but showed little expression as he looked at the relatives of the boys who spoke in court Tuesday. After the hearing, he appeared to look toward his family and friends as sheriff's deputies led him out of the courtroom in shackles.
Superior Court Judge Timothy Casserly told a packed courtroom Tuesday morning that he had never seen a person convicted of child molestation charges receive as much support as Ziskin had, including an inch-thick stack of letters Casserly received from people asking him to set aside Ziskin's convictions or give Ziskin a minimal sentence.
Casserly said he could not set aside the jury's verdict because there "was sufficient, credible evidence to support" the jury's decision.
Casserly also said state law did not leave to him the discretion to decide what sentence to impose. The minimum sentence required by law was 15 years to life in prison, Casserly said.
"I do not get to pick the sentence I think is appropriate for this case," Casserly said.
Although Casserly said 15 years to life in prison in Ziskin's case is "extremely harsh," he added that he could not say that it was unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment as Ziskin's attorney had argued.
Casserly said in court that he encourages state parole officials to consider his comments in deciding how soon to set a parole date for Ziskin.
Outside the courtroom after the hearing, Ziskin's supporters expressed to the news media frustration at the outcome of the case as sheriff's deputies from the courtroom stood nearby, at one point urging them to keep their voices down because other courtrooms were in session.
"The judge wanted to give him a lesser sentence," Cleary said. "His hands were tied."
Probably, no doubt, a card-carrying member of NAMBLA and the ACLU.
They use the term "ex-teacher" even though he was a teacher at the time of the crimes.
I think some on FR want to wait until they see a picture of the naughty teacher before deciding if they would've liked to have had this teacher when growing up.
He is a butt-gunnin' predatory animal who should be removed from a decent society.
An activist stopped in his tracks?
I'm sure recruits of NAMBLA and ACLU will be waiting for Ziskin in the pen. All of them will have a jolly good time "getting to know each other."
Peter Thomas Ziskin has made the mistake of not getting a sex change.
Doogle
Casserly said he could not set aside the jury's verdict because there "was sufficient, credible evidence to support" the jury's decision.
The public is "too stupid" to decide these things, you see.
He should be executed.
From the brief description of the perp, it sounds as though he's going to be some guys' girlfriend in prison. Serves him right.
I didn't read bas the title. I'm guessing it was a male teacher?
"attempting the recruitment of children." -- Maybe, but if not, the sentence seems a bit harsh.
Yup ... if he's good lookin', he's innocent.
I know this because I see it repeatedly on FR.
He will get all the perverted homo sex he wants now, from a guy named Bubba.
He should be very popular on Cell Block D.
Thay, fella ... If I wanna apply it to thothe abtholutely fabulouth male teacherth, it'th my right.
You're not rathitht, thexitht, or homophobic, are you?
< /LimpWrist>
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