sws4420
03-14-2007, 06:24 PM
http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2007/03/13/0314shoot2_w500.jpg http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2007/03/14/0315powell_w500.jpg
The birth mother of an 18-year-old slain in front of the home of a student teacher claims the aspiring educator "preyed on" her son and teased him with visions of marriage.
"She led him on," Debra Flynn said Tuesday. "She's 30 years old and he's 18.
"They've been having an affair. He told me about it. He even asked her to marry him."
Flynn's son, Sean Powell, died Saturday after being shot once in the head as he sat in a Mercedes parked in front of 2424 Coker Ave.
The next day, Knoxville police charged Jason Eric McLean, 31, with first-degree murder. McLean, who goes by Eric, had fled the scene of the shooting and was located about 9 a.m. Sunday walking along railroad tracks near Westland Drive, police said.
Erin McLean was a graduate student at the University of Tennessee. As part of her graduate work, she started in August an unpaid internship teaching English at West High School.
UT officials have placed Erin McLean on indefinite leave from the program. She was told by UT officials to not go to West High School pending a resolution of the situation.
The McLeans have been married about 11 years and have two sons, 7 and 11.
Eric McLean, relatives said, tried last fall to find Powell a place to live after his adoptive parents kicked him out of their house. McLean even asked his parents to take in the teen, but they declined. At that time, relatives said, McLean didn't suspect his wife had a romantic relationship with Powell.
"Nobody could imagine him doing anything like this," said Jamie Daly, a Louisville woman whose son grew up with McLean.
"He was just the greatest kid, every mother's dream. He was so kind hearted, he's the last person in the world you'd expect to hurt somebody."
McLean was a senior at UT studying music. Relatives said he wanted one day to be a high school band director.
McLean remained Tuesday in jail without bond, pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 27. His court appointed attorney, Bruce Poston, said he would file a motion to have a bond set. Poston said he expects that motion to be heard at that hearing.
McLean was brought into general sessions court Tuesday and sat among other prisoners. While other inmates wore orange jump suits, McLean was dressed in slacks and a shirt. He appeared somewhat disheveled, and did not come to the podium with Poston.
"He's very docile, does not really comprehend what is happening," Poston said of his client's appearance.
After the court appearance, when reporters asked about accounts of a relationship between Erin McLean and Powell, Poston said: " rumors about a relationship between a teacher and student will create a lot of publicity, locally and nationally."
Poston said he has not had time to investigate the case, but "it appears this is not going to be a 'whodunit,' it is going to be more about 'what happened and why?' it seems significant to me that the victim was shot over at the defendant's house."
Flynn said she gave up her son 10 years ago for adoption during a tumultuous time in her life. Two years ago, after accepting Christ, she went looking for Powell, she said.
Powell, Flynn said, was a typical teen who had low points in his life, including a bout with marijuana and alcohol. Powell turned 18 in October 2006 and left West High School in November.
"He always knew how to make you smile," said West High School junior Chelsea Pate, who knew Powell. "You never caught him in a bad mood."
Powell went to live with Flynn in Nashville after he got kicked out of his West Knoxville home by his adoptive parents.
That's when Flynn learned about the relationship with Erin McLean. Flynn said the woman repeatedly text messaged Powell in Nashville. Powell told his mother McLean was an advisor he had met at school.
"She text messaged him things like, 'I love you,' 'Please come home,' 'You're beautiful,' " Flynn said. "He was staying with me, but he went back to Knoxville to be close to her."
When Powell was shot, Flynn said Erin McLean called her to break the news. Since then, Flynn said, Erin McLean has maintained communications with her.
"She called me last night," Flynn said Tuesday. "I told her she had led my son on and played him. She said, 'Oh, no, I loved Sean.' She said she would have married him."
Staff writer Ansley Haman contributed to this report. Don Jacobs may be reached at 865-342-6345 Jim Balloch may be reached at 865-342-6315
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_5416031,00.html
The birth mother of an 18-year-old slain in front of the home of a student teacher claims the aspiring educator "preyed on" her son and teased him with visions of marriage.
"She led him on," Debra Flynn said Tuesday. "She's 30 years old and he's 18.
"They've been having an affair. He told me about it. He even asked her to marry him."
Flynn's son, Sean Powell, died Saturday after being shot once in the head as he sat in a Mercedes parked in front of 2424 Coker Ave.
The next day, Knoxville police charged Jason Eric McLean, 31, with first-degree murder. McLean, who goes by Eric, had fled the scene of the shooting and was located about 9 a.m. Sunday walking along railroad tracks near Westland Drive, police said.
Erin McLean was a graduate student at the University of Tennessee. As part of her graduate work, she started in August an unpaid internship teaching English at West High School.
UT officials have placed Erin McLean on indefinite leave from the program. She was told by UT officials to not go to West High School pending a resolution of the situation.
The McLeans have been married about 11 years and have two sons, 7 and 11.
Eric McLean, relatives said, tried last fall to find Powell a place to live after his adoptive parents kicked him out of their house. McLean even asked his parents to take in the teen, but they declined. At that time, relatives said, McLean didn't suspect his wife had a romantic relationship with Powell.
"Nobody could imagine him doing anything like this," said Jamie Daly, a Louisville woman whose son grew up with McLean.
"He was just the greatest kid, every mother's dream. He was so kind hearted, he's the last person in the world you'd expect to hurt somebody."
McLean was a senior at UT studying music. Relatives said he wanted one day to be a high school band director.
McLean remained Tuesday in jail without bond, pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 27. His court appointed attorney, Bruce Poston, said he would file a motion to have a bond set. Poston said he expects that motion to be heard at that hearing.
McLean was brought into general sessions court Tuesday and sat among other prisoners. While other inmates wore orange jump suits, McLean was dressed in slacks and a shirt. He appeared somewhat disheveled, and did not come to the podium with Poston.
"He's very docile, does not really comprehend what is happening," Poston said of his client's appearance.
After the court appearance, when reporters asked about accounts of a relationship between Erin McLean and Powell, Poston said: " rumors about a relationship between a teacher and student will create a lot of publicity, locally and nationally."
Poston said he has not had time to investigate the case, but "it appears this is not going to be a 'whodunit,' it is going to be more about 'what happened and why?' it seems significant to me that the victim was shot over at the defendant's house."
Flynn said she gave up her son 10 years ago for adoption during a tumultuous time in her life. Two years ago, after accepting Christ, she went looking for Powell, she said.
Powell, Flynn said, was a typical teen who had low points in his life, including a bout with marijuana and alcohol. Powell turned 18 in October 2006 and left West High School in November.
"He always knew how to make you smile," said West High School junior Chelsea Pate, who knew Powell. "You never caught him in a bad mood."
Powell went to live with Flynn in Nashville after he got kicked out of his West Knoxville home by his adoptive parents.
That's when Flynn learned about the relationship with Erin McLean. Flynn said the woman repeatedly text messaged Powell in Nashville. Powell told his mother McLean was an advisor he had met at school.
"She text messaged him things like, 'I love you,' 'Please come home,' 'You're beautiful,' " Flynn said. "He was staying with me, but he went back to Knoxville to be close to her."
When Powell was shot, Flynn said Erin McLean called her to break the news. Since then, Flynn said, Erin McLean has maintained communications with her.
"She called me last night," Flynn said Tuesday. "I told her she had led my son on and played him. She said, 'Oh, no, I loved Sean.' She said she would have married him."
Staff writer Ansley Haman contributed to this report. Don Jacobs may be reached at 865-342-6345 Jim Balloch may be reached at 865-342-6315
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_5416031,00.html