Shen teacher suspected of sex abuse - UPDATED Gets 12 years, now wants to change his plea

[MedicCook]

Shen teacher suspected of sex abuse

CLIFTON PARK -- Authorities say the Shenendehowa elementary school teacher arrested on a sexual abuse count has been jailed in connection with a Feb. 5 incident involving a first-grade boy.

Christopher R. Culver, 32, of Colina Lane in Clifton Park was arrested and charged with first-degree sexual abuse, a class D felony. Culver, a first-grade teacher at Okte Elementary School, was arraigned Sunday before Town Justice Robert Rybak in the Town of Clifton Park Court.

Culver, who has been with the district eight years, is accused of inappropriate contact with the student. Culver was been suspended with pay while the investigation continues. The district said he has no previous disciplinary action against him.

The district said psychologists and counselors are being made available to the students today, and a session that will include parents is being planned for later this week.

Meanwhile, state police said an ongoing investigation will determine whether other students were victims or more charges will be filed.

Culver was sent to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=562537&category=STATEOTHER&BCCode=&newsdate=2/12/2007

[MedicCook]

Five more accuse teacher

CLIFTON PARK - Shenendehowa teacher Christopher R. Culver was arraigned Thursday night in Town Court on five additional charges of sexual abuse and ordered to stay away from Okte Elementary School.
The teacher was arrested after a parent went to the state police on Feb. 10 with allegations from her son that Culver had touched him inappropriately. Police interviewed the student and four other classmates before speaking with Culver.
After interviewing Culver, police arrested him on one count of sexual abuse, saying Culver had made admissions of guilt to them during the interview.
Saratoga District Attorney James A. Murphy said the additional counts came from students in Culver's 2006-07 first-grade class at Okte. Culver now faces a total of six separate counts of sexual abuse with someone younger than 11.
Murphy said he doubts there will be any more allegations forthcoming from students in Culver's previous Okte classes.
Culver spent one night in Saratoga County Jail, posted $50,000 cash bail, and was released.
The case was given a March 15 court date.

Culver, 32, was represented by attorney Arthur R. Frost in the appearance before Town Justice Robert Rybak.
The teacher pleaded not guilty to all charges, and Frost promised a vigorous defense.
Culver was a highly regarded teacher in Okte elementary, where he taught kindergarten and first grade for the past eight years.
During Thursday's court appearance, Rybak issued temporary restraining orders and orders of protection keeping Culver away from the school and barring him from having any contact with the students involved in the six criminal counts.
"Do not go in the vicinity of Okte," Rybak said. "Violating orders of protection is a separate matter and will be dealt with severely."
After his arraignment, Culver's attorney commented on the charges against his client.
"Chris pled not guilty tonight because he is not guilty," Frost said. "It's good that the parents are taking the claims the children are making seriously but that doesn't mean Chris is guilty."
Frost said neither the State Police nor the Saratoga County District Attorney's office had provided him with Culver's reported admissions of guilt as of Thursday's arraignment.
Murphy refuted the statement, saying Frost was given copies of Culver's admissions as part of the arraignment.
"This case is rare in Saratoga County," Murphy said. "It deserves a conviction, a prison sentence and a felony conviction for his alleged conduct."
Murphy said he expects the March 15 date to be adjourned. If that happens, he will then present the case to a grand jury and seek an indictment. If indicted on the charges, the case will move to Saratoga State Supreme Court.

http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17863210&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=602469&rfi=6

[MedicCook]

Update


Grand jury to get case against teacher

CLIFTON PARK - The case of a first-grade teacher accused of molesting six of his students will go before a grand jury in Saratoga County, District Attorney James Murphy said today.

That means the alleged victims, who are six years old, will likely have to testify.

Murphy confirmed that the case was headed for a grand jury and that he had tried to reach a plea agreement with Christopher Culver to avoid forcing the children to testify.

Culver, 32, was arrested in February for alleged sexual contact with six first-graders at Okte Elementary School, part of the Shenendehowa Central School District.

Culver, who is represented by attorney Terry Kindlon, denied the charges and remains free on bail. He's been on paid leave from the school since his arrest.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=587910&category=&BCCode=&newsdate=5/9/2007

[MedicCook]

Shen teacher sentenced in molestation
Parents call him predator; he vows to appeal

BALLSTON SPA -- Convicted child molester Christopher Culver vowed to withdraw his guilty plea and appeal his conviction moments after hearing his sentence this morning.

Culver, a Clifton Park elementary school teacher, pleaded guilty in November to molesting eight of his first-grade students. Saratoga County Court Judge Jerry Scarano sentenced him to 12 years in prison.

Both Culver and the parents of his victims were allowed to speak during the sentencing. The parents who spoke before Culver were convinced of his guilt, reading victims' impact statements talking about their children's loss of innocence and fear of going to school.

One parent described him as a predator marking his prey. A mom cried, saying, "Our son gives us the strength most days. He is our hero. He is our hero because he gets up everyday and fights through his fears."

When Culver spoke, he said he had been railroaded and his constitutional rights denied.

"I submit to everyone here that I believe the statements we heard were heartfelt and (what these parents believed to be true), but I consider (the prosecution) a witchhunt," Culver said.

Almost two months ago, on the morning his trial was to begin in November, the 33-year-old Culver admitted in Saratoga County Court that he had molested the Okte Elementary School students. He pleaded guilty to all charges in a 49-court indictment.

Culver, represented by attorney Terence L. Kindlon, was arrested last February after a student said something alarming to his parents about his teacher's conduct. The parents called police, and Culver was arrested.

An investigation by State Police identified seven more victims. The indictment accused Culver of touching the genitals of the boys during the school day in his classroom. Because of the plea, the victims - who are now 7 and 8 years old - did not have to testify.

Had he gone to trial, Culver faced the likelihood that jurors would hear incriminating remarks he made to police. State Police investigators testified at a hearing over the summer that Culver admitted to sexual abuse, that he needed psychological help and said that his career was finished. Scarano ruled those statements would have been allowed at trial.

The week before Culver's trial had been scheduled to begin, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Jensen received the tip that Culver was getting ready to skip out on $50,000 bail and leave the country for South America. She reported that to District Attorney James Murphy, who contacted the court. He also called immigration and customs agencies, local police and Interpol, the international police agency, to prevent Culver from fleeing.

At the time, Murphy had said his office was acting on a "credible tip" that Culver possibly planned to run to Colombia, where there is no extradition treaty with the United States. Murphy declined to elaborate on the tip, but said it was good enough to take seriously. Police seized Culver's passport, birth certificate and Social Security card.

The Shenendehowa Central School District is still defending itself against civil suits from the parents of some of the victims.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=657288&category=&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=1/22/2008