Posted on 10/21/2009 9:42:33 AM PDT by Colofornian
AMERICAN FORK -- A teenage girl took the witness stand Tuesday against a former LDS seminary principal accused of having sex with her at the end of the last school year.
Michael Pratt, 37, faces 21 felonies relating to the alleged sexual relationship. He arrived in court Tuesday for his preliminary hearing, and the first witness was his alleged victim.
"It was pretty hard. I mean, I had a lot of support, and it was nice to be able to look at my family, but it was pretty hard facing him," the now 17-year-old girl told reporters following the hearing.
She spent three hours testifying against Pratt, who was the principal at the LDS seminary next to Lone Peak High School. The girl said what she thought was a friendship turned into a sexual relationship with Pratt during May and June of this year.
"It changed my life a lot. It's been really hard, but I think in the end it made me stronger and more aware and alert," she said.
On the witness stand, she described in detail how the relationship began and how it seemed to her, at the time, that she was in a romantic relationship.
The girl testified she first met Pratt in January, as she was transferring to a new seminary class, and the two began to talk frequently in his office.
She said Pratt summoned her out of class one day, and she then began going to his office instead of class each day. There, the two would talk about what she said was "life in general," calling him a good friend and someone she trusted.
The girl said the friendship continued until April 30, when she recorded, with her camera, Michael Pratt singing her a song in his office. She said he later told her he loved her.[CLICK HERE to read the lyrics of the song Pratt wrote]
She described having an anxiety attack over the weekend and going to the hospital, and that Pratt later visited her at her aunt's house that night. At one point, she said he called her on her cell phone and said he had a fantasy of the two together, which was sexually explicit.
A few days later, the relationship turned sexual in Vivian Park in Provo Canyon. There were five more similar encounters over the next month, some occurring during school time. The girl even testified that one of those encounters happened on the roof of the seminary building.
The girl testified Pratt would give her the keys to his car at the seminary parking lot. She would hide in the backseat, and he would get in a few minutes later. Then when they reached the nearby LDS temple, she could get in the front seat.
The girl also recorded when the encounters happened on her cell phone, referring to them such as "water fall" or "snuck out, bp," referring to Brother Pratt.
The relationship was reported to police in early July, and Pratt was arrested. Charges against him were enhanced because of his position of trust over the alleged victim.
"Where the person is a minor and the other person, the defendant, was in a position of special trust, and that was what much of the argument was about today," said Utah County prosecutor Julia Thomas.
Pratt's defense argues the charges are much more serious than what is warranted.
"Michael is of the opinion, we are of the opinion, that what happened, or allegedly happened, between those two people doesn't warrant five years to life in prison," said defense attorney Dusty Kawai.
As for the victim, she said she just wants to move on with her life.
"No matter what they say about me, it doesn't change the fact of what he did," she said.
Of the 21 charges originally filed against Pratt, the judge ordered he stand trial on 15 of them, including 14 first-degree felonies.
Pratt will be formally arraigned on the charges on Nov. 10, and then the judge will set a date for his trial. He faces up to life in prison if he is convicted.
What’s a religion teacher doing sexually abusing a young girl ???
Decent men do not arrange sexual dates with under age girls...
This guy is a predator...
This was a gradual planned seduction...
Probably not his first...
As the adult he alone is responsible...
She so called “enticed” him ???
Well why didnt he run the other way ???
Ya gotta admit he had a decent idea about who he was -- indecent ideas and all.
More lyrics:
Joined by the gods of fortune...
...You are the one who sees me
The one who believes in all I can be
Not just for now, but for eternity
(We can see his lds polytheism emerge...And, as a seminary teacher, he was teaching his charges that they, too, could be gods over eternity)
Anybody know if Michael Pratt, 37, of American Fork, Utah is a descendent of either Utah-based Parley P. Pratt or his brother, Orson Pratt, also of Utah?
Who has genealogical access? (Note: Parley P. Pratt had about a dozen wives)
I looked at http://data.pratt-family.org/descendants/names.htm -- but it doesn't seem to list hardly any living descendents of the Pratts.
Is Michael Pratt a distant relative of Mitt Romney?
Quite possibly, but it's also quite possible that he became infatuated with this particular girl. Given the sappiness of his little song, I think that's probably what actually happened, in fact.
This guy put himself into an extremely dangerous situation -- time alone with a probably attractive, almost-adult girl who probably had a crush on him. It would be intoxicating. It's an excellent and sobering lesson for guys like me, who frequently interact with teens, including teen girls.
It doesn't change the nature of the crime, of course. It would be a factor in sentencing, though, if it was a one-time deal as opposed to one in a series.
if it was a one-time deal as opposed to one in a series.
_______________________________________
But it wasnt a one time deal...
It was one in a series though with the same girl...
After the first “slip” well PLANNED “slip”...
He just continued on..
The girl was 16 at the time...and he’s been fired..
A statement from the mormons...
LDS Church Statement on Michael J. Pratt
11:14 AM MDT, July 20, 2009
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement regarding Michael J. Pratt, a former seminary principal accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. Here is the statement:
“The Church condemns abuse of any kind and expects the highest moral and ethical standards of its seminary teachers. Michael Pratt was terminated as principal of the Lone Peak High School Seminary when abuse allegations surfaced and Church leaders are cooperating with law enforcement authorities.
Our hearts go out to the victim and family members in this case. Counseling and other resources have been offered to help in the victim in the healing process.”
What?
What?
You didn’t know Parley P Pratt was killed by the spurned husband of one of his polygamous wives? Or is it that you didn’t know that Mitt is one of his descendants? Or perhaps you think it impossible that this sick Mormon Seminary Principle is descended from the same Parley P. Pratt?
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