Posted on 05/12/2010 5:53:51 AM PDT by abb
RINGGOLD, Ga. — A jury has said she’s not guilty and the trial that devastated her life is over, but Tonya Craft says she’ll never recover what she’s lost.
“There is not a winner. There can be restoration, and there can be awareness for others to not go through this, but there are two birthdays for my daughter that I’ll never get back,” Ms. Craft said Tuesday, fighting back the tears.
Two years after she was accused of molesting three girls, Ms. Craft said the first thing she cares about is regaining custody of her two children.
Defense attorney Scott King said he is filing a motion today in Hamilton County, asking a court to award Ms. Craft full custody of her children.
After Ms. Craft was charged in 2008 with 22 counts of child molestation, aggravated child molestation and sexual battery, her ex-husband, Joel Henke, filed for full custody of their children and they have lived with him since.
On Tuesday, as the Catoosa County Court Clerk’s booming voice announced the “not guilty” verdicts on all counts against her, Ms. Craft’s knees buckled. Two of her attorneys kept her from falling as she cried hysterically on their shoulders. The attorneys whisked her away under the protection of four Catoosa County sheriff’s deputies.
At her parents’ home in East Ridge, Ms. Craft was greeted like a celebrity by her friends, their children and family members, all rejoicing in the verdict/
“We’re going to get our babies back,” Ms. Craft’s mother, Betty Faires, said, clasping her own hands in joy.
Ms. Craft wiped tears from her eyes as she looked at her supporters.
“The only thing that’s kept me going and fighting is my two children,” Ms. Craft said under the lights and cameras of national and local media. “And other people that are falsely accused; I’ll do anything I can to protect them from being falsely accused.”
Ms. Craft lost her job as a kindergarten teacher in Chickamauga City Schools when she was charged. On Tuesday, Chickamauga Superintendent Melody Day would not say whether the district would consider rehiring Ms. Craft.
“We can’t comment. It’s a personnel matter and that’s confidential,” she said.
But Ms. Craft said she doesn’t plan to teach again. She said she may consider going to law school.
After the news conference, Ms. Craft, her husband, David, and defense attorney Demosthenes Lorandos flew to New York for an interview on NBC’s “Today Show.” Her friends and family shouted and clapped as she left.
“Thank you, Jesus,” said Diane Ellis, Ms. Craft’s friend, who has been in the courtroom each day of the trial. “Without him, it wouldn’t have happened.”
But there still are casualties. A trial that lasted more than a month — the longest recorded in the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit — has torn apart friends and families.
Three families that were close to Ms. Craft came forward with the accusations that she molested their daughters when the girls spent the night at her home.
The greatest fear of every mother, every minister, Boy Scout leader and teacher was played out in the courtroom, Mr. Lorandos told the jury in his closing statement.
“Well, if there’s no physical evidence and all it takes is a kid saying it and their parents being really upset about it, if that’s all it takes, we’re all duped,” he said.
The jury rejected the prosecutors’ argument that the children’s interviews were enough evidence to convict her. Mr. Lorandos said the girls were led through shoddy interviews and poor investigation to believe they were abused.
Now Ms. Craft says she wants to give hope to others who are treated as she has been.
“First and foremost, she wants to make sure this never happens again,” Mr. Lorandos said Tuesday evening. “She will change the way children are interviewed.”
Staff writer Ben Benton contributed to this article
Very, very sage advice!
I worked with a woman that was a troublemaker (gossiping, backstabbing, taking credit for other people's work, etc.). Anyway, on two separate occasions she asked me for a ride home after work. Wouldn't you know those two nights were the nights I had very important errands to run, all in the opposite direction of the town where she lived?
Last I heard she was suing the company for ‘mental duress’. Dodged a HUGE potential bullet there, twice.
What I don’t understand is how they could have fired her for it when she hadn’t yet gone to court. And the judge giving custody of her children to her husband when she hadn’t been convicted is mind boggling.
The sad thing is that she probably won’t get her children back except for every other weekend and alternating holidays. Status Quo has been established and she would have to prove that there was a change that involved the lives of the children.
You thinking she had a Michael Jackson thing going?
Perfectly stated! Well done!
You’re right... he’s a great writer.
I hope that poor woman sues them all into poverty.
FRegards
Yeah, eternity. It would be nice to see them live there Hell on Earth once in a while.
This was 15 years ago and I didn’t think much of it at the time..If I had to do it again, I would have called the parent out of the gym class to do it.
>> It would be nice to see them live there Hell on Earth once in a while.
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
But like you, FRiend, so often I want them to pay NOW! While I watch.
This is one of the most difficult matters of faith with which I struggle.
Salem witch trials all over again.
Wise man. I used to teach Sunday School to 4th graders. Our church had recently instituted a policy that required two teachers in all classes at all times for two reasons: to protect the children and to protect the teachers. It was a good policy.
Two kids and the daughter were all coached by the child molestation advocates. Juries remember the McMartin and Amirault cases. They don't like having no physical evidence and being asked to put someone away solely on the testimony of 3 young kids. They don't buy the 'kids don't lie' line.
>> I think if there is one thing the Bible teaches us or attempts to teach us is restraint on passions and deny our baser instincts.
Agreed.
I tend to separate punishment duly administered by authority to wrongdoers, which as you suggest IS biblically valid, from my own personal burning hatred and desire to strike back at those who I think “deserve it”, which is not valid according to God’s word.
>> the accusers were shown on videotape
That’s bogus. Unconstitutional, too.
O’Reilly got it wrong. The kids testified in open court, and were cross-examined, but live cameras weren’t allowed during their testimony.
>> O’Reilly got it wrong.
Wow, that’s never happened before! :-)
thanks
I was doing a bit of quick research for my previous response regarding the matter of “weregilds” but that concept probably wasn’t contemporary with the time of the Bible. Anyway, there was no distinction between murder and manslaughter until the 13th century. Driving your ox over an innocent bystander or hacking off someone’s head with your pen knife were considered the same.
The concept of a sanctuary city was also quite different. Well as long as you didn’t have crushed testicles.
I’m a teacher. I always leave the door open during student conferences, even when discussing grades. I’d rather be reprimanded for violating student privacy.
Weregeld - payment for damages done. Literally "man money".
Shunning - If the accused refuses to pay, then he is ostracized from the community. That was pretty serious back in the day. Generally led to the accused moving away.
Vendetta - If the person refused to pay, and was protected by his family or others, then the family of the wronged could declare a vendetta. That meant the wronged person or his family could kill the accused, kill all of his family, and seize or destroy all of their property.
All of these remain in some form to this day in the laws or customs of the Roman lands conquered by the Germanic tribes. See the "Godfather" series.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.