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Former Hernando teacher agrees to settle in molestation case

By DUANE BOURNE
Published March 8, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - After rejecting previous offers to resolve charges of lewd and lascivious molestation levied against him in June, a former West Hernando Middle School teacher has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and has been sentenced to weekends in jail and five years of probation.

The last-minute deal was struck Monday as Assistant State Attorney Marlene Wells and John Grant III, the lead attorney for defendant Dennis Morrissey, finished jury selection and were ready to present their case at trial.

Before opening arguments had begun, Morrissey, a social studies teacher accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old seventh-grade student, agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of child abuse, a third-degree felony.

Morrissey, 59, will serve six months of weekends at the Hernando County Jail, Grant said.

The 27-year educator also surrendered his teaching license and was ordered to have no contact with children during his probationary period, which requires that he attend sex offender counseling and treatment, if necessary, said Assistant State Attorney Lisa Herndon.

Herndon said Morrissey might have taken the deal because he was concerned by the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. He faced as much as 15 years behind bars if he had been convicted of lewd and lascivious molestation, a second-degree felony.

"In light of everything, it was a fair disposition for everyone," Herndon said Tuesday. "I think the objective was met. It avoided (the victim having) to testify and give her any more trauma."

Before the trial, prosecutors had offered Morrissey a deal for less than the maximum penalty. Citing his desire to tell his side of the story, Morrissey declined the offer and maintained his innocence, Grant said.

On June 29, Morrissey was arrested after school district officials launched an internal investigation into a complaint they received about the incident and after the Sheriff's Office recorded Morrissey's conversation with the victim.

According to sheriff's reports, Morrissey, in addition to touching the girl inappropriately, called her "babe" and told her he loved her.

Authorities said the encounter in Morrissey's classroom happened on May 11. Two days later, he was suspended from his post without pay.

Grant said his client took the deal after considering his family.

"From our perspective, we had to weigh all of our options," he said. "Dennis did what he knew was in his best interests. Is it worth gambling the next 15 years of your life for the jury to decide if they believe you or not? In the end, he had to think about his family."

-- Duane Bourne can be reached at 352 754-6114 or dbourne@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 8, 2005, 17:39:03]