Judge rejects Lafave plea deal

The Marion County case against the former middle school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old boy is scheduled to go to trial on April 10.

By STAFF WRITER
Published December 8, 2005

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Marion County Circuit Judge Hale Stancil rejected a plea agreement reached between prosecutors and Deborah Lafave in a hearing Thursday afternoon.

Stancil set a trial date for April 10.

Assistant State Attorney Stacy Youmans declined to comment on the terms of the plea agreement.

She said, while it was not connected to the plea deal approved in Hillsborough County, it was pursued for similar reasons.

"We had reached a plea agreement for the same reasons that the Hillsborough office did. Prior to being contacted by the victims and their families, our office intended to offer nothing but prison time," she said. "Once we were contacted by the victims and their families, we changed our focus."