Sexual Predators? The Trials of Three Teachers

The trial of Jessica Heather DeFoor got underway in Morgan County on Monday. The 36 year-old DeFoor, a former second grade teacher at Danville-Neel Elementary School is charged with enticing a 14 year-old girl for immoral purposes.

During yesterday's testimony, it was revealed that DeFoor was dating Zachary W. Mullins at the time of the alleged rape. The most startling revelation of the trial concerns the victim herself; the young woman is the sister of Mullins, now 22. The victim testified that after DeFoor and Mullins had sex, her brother then raped her repeatedly, starting a period of abuse that lasted 18 months.

When testimony resumes today, DeFoor's defense team is expected to argue the victim is attempting to lessen her brother's guilt by implicating the teacher, the victim's flag team sponsor. No matter the verdict in this trial, pending charges against Zachary W. Mullins are expected to be upgraded to first degree rape.

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The Associated Press office in Montgomery has stated the Sheffield Board of Education has not been forthcoming with details concerning the arrest of Amanda Duboise Watkins, a former Sheffield Junior High teacher charged with rape.

Watkins' father is Delmer Duboise, a former Franklin County Board of Education member and one-time instructor at Northwest Community College. Sources suggest this may have influenced the Sheffield Board's stance on the rape and sodomy charges.

We can look for more from the AP office in Montgomery to be forthcoming in the next few weeks. In the mean time, all court proceedings for Watkins have been postponed until May.

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Former Clements High School teacher Keith McGuire, formerly of Lexington, was acquitted of rape and sodomy charges last July; however, the Alabama Board of Education has still not ruled on the status of his teaching license.

McGuire's license was originally suspended pending the outcome of the Lauderdale Court case. Chief Administrative Law Judge Walter Turner was expected to rule on complaints that McGuire had fondled at least four students, the youngest 12; however, due to the delays requested by McGuire's lawyers, the trial was not held until after Judge Turner's retirement.

A second judge has been appointed to review the evidence in those cases, none of which has precipitated formal legal charges. Associated Press writer Jean Cole in Athens has stated the new judge should rule by the end of the month. It's our understanding that if the ruling is in favor of the State Board of Education, Keith McGuire would be allowed to appeal to Circuit Court.


For what it's worth: Just how hard is it for a teacher to keep his/her hands off a student? We hope every parent is involved in their child's education. No child or teenager should have to suffer at the hands of those who have promised to protect them.

Shoalanda

Zachary Mullins Charged Because of Flag Team Row?

Our October 29th blog on the indictment of Morgan County teacher Jessica Heather DeFoor and Air Force Lt. Zachary W. Mullins told it like it is: If an 18/19 year-old male has sex with a 15 year-old girl, he's guilty of second degree rape in the State of Alabama. If a jury of his peers finds Mullins to be guilty, he will remain branded a sexual predator the rest of his life and have to register as such no matter where in the United States he may move. As to what will become of his new Air Force career, we don't know. Since the incident happened before Mullins was commissioned upon his graduation from Auburn University, perhaps the Air Force will consider all the circumstances and allow Mullins to retain his rank and status in that branch of the service...or perhaps he will be handed his walking papers along with a dishonorable discharge.

The three crimes of which Mullins and DeFoor are charged occurred in 2006, but were not reported until 2007. There is no statute of limitations on such crimes, but many have questioned the year's delay in reporting these acts. We ourselves have specifically questioned why the 15 year-old victim was allowed unsupervised visits at the home of DeFoor, a second grade teacher from the Danville-Neel Elementary School.

Upon further research, it seems Miss DeFoor herself was the adult chaperon appointed by Danville High School. DeFoor supervised what is commonly called a flag team, and it was not unusual for her to invite team members to her home for parties after practice. Whether parents of the girls knew that DeFoor also invited certain male students and graduates is unknown.

Today's flag teams bear little resemblance to the marching groups of years past. Large high schools field color guard, autumn guard, and winter guard teams--all of which compete in regional and national competitions. We feel if we delve deeply enough into the current world of high school sports/activities, we would find that even tiddly winks has become a highly competitive and money-making endeavor. Apparently, even in the small town atmosphere of Danville in Morgan County, the flag team was "kind of a big deal" to those who oversaw it, and those who couldn't cut it were culled from the herd of marching, head-bobbing flag-twirlers. Several sources have reported to us that this was the case of the victim in the DeFoor-Mullins rape case.

If true, it's sad that the victim, who may have been so drugged that charges against Mullins will be elevated to first degree rape, saw no need to report the crimes committed against her until DeFoor booted her from the Danville Flag Team. Very sad indeed, but it makes 2nd Lt. Zachary W. Mullins no less guilty. Mullins, a commissioned officer for only a few weeks, arrived back in Alabama on Monday. He was released from the Morgan County Detention Center on $30,000.00 bond.

Now, Danville High School authorities must ask the question: Was the 15 year-old victim the only girl who became the object of DeFoor and Mullin's sexual desires? Predators lurk everywhere, even in Danville. We're sure the local high school made what it thought was a good decision when they asked Heather DeFoor to oversee the high school flag team; they were wrong. All parents should watch this case very carefully and learn from it.

Pictured is stock photo of marching color guard


What's up with this: Wilson Park now has a restored fountain, complete with third tier. Thanks to Councilman Dick Jordan and others who worked diligently to push for the restoration of this Florence landmark.

Shoalanda

Is Lt. Zachary W. Mullins a Sex Offender?

As we bring you this cautionary tale, we will immediately answer the question posed in today's topic; yes, Zachary Mullins, if guilty of the charges brought against him, is a sex offender and a fugitive from justice. Is the law under which he was indicted fair? Yes, as fair as such laws can be when arbitrary rules and regulations are enforced--that includes the 30 day ruling concerning the Alabama Putative Father Registry.

For those who may not be aware, second degree rape, termed statutory rape in some states, simply decrees that any sexual intercourse involving a person not yet old enough to give legal consent or too mentally impaired to give such consent, is second degree rape. In Alabama, the legal age of consent is 16, and the offender in the first scenario must be at least two years older than the victim. A man who has reached the age of 18 is definitely two years older than his 15 year-old victim.

Mullins is the son of Michael A. and Angela R. Mullins of Garrison Road in Hartselle. He's a graduate of Danville High School and Auburn University. Currently, he's serving as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force at Vandenberg in California, where he lives with his wife Paulette, the daughter of Deborah Baker of Swansboro, Alabama. That is, he lived there with his wife until Alabama Attorney General Troy King had Mullins arrested earlier this week, after a Morgan County Grand Jury indicted him of multiple sex crimes. Specifically, the grand jury indicted the Air Force Officer on two counts of having sex with the 15 year-old while he was 18 years of age and one count involving a sexual encounter with the same victim after Mullins had attained the age of 19. Mullins is currently in a Santa Barbara County jail awaiting extradition.

Perhaps the most disturbing element in this indictment is the fact that Mullins was not the lone target of the grand jury. Jessica Heather DeFoor (pictured), now 34, a former second grade teacher from Decatur in Morgan County, was also indicted for related crimes. While AG King refuses to comment further on the connection between DeFoor and Mullins, DeFoor, who at the time taught at Neel Elementary School in Danville, is charged with enticing the young woman for immoral purposes. Sources who are familiar with the indictment have stated that DeFoor provided Mullins and an unnamed youth with access to a bedroom in her home and alcohol with which to seduce the young woman. If this can be proved, the charges against Mullins may be later upgraded to First Degree Rape.

Both DeFoor and Mullins were indicted in July. DeFoor was arrested in August, but authorities were not able to track Mullins down until this month. He was arrested October 20th, and King expects extradition proceedings to begin by the end of the week. Mullins faces a possible 20 year prison sentence. DeFoor faces a sentence of up to 10 years.

Thanks to the Alabama tenure system, Jessica Heather DeFoor, who has been on leave since the charges were first brought to the attention of the police in 2007, is still drawing a state salary.


What's up with this: If you find working toward what you want too hard, you might want to try selling blue plastic bracelets at Q-Gas. It sounds like a great fundraising idea for a school trip, but to support a child?

Shoalanda