Mar 15, 2008 1:07 pm US/Eastern
Teen In Howard Sex Case Sues Teacher, Principal
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ) ―
A Howard County teenager wants $3 million after his former middle school teacher was convicted of inappropriately touching him.
Gigi Barnett reports the teen is also suing the school board and the state for what he calls extreme emotional distress.
Former Howard County teacher Kirsten Ann Kinley is serving an 18-month sentence for sexually abusing a 15-year-old student at Hammond Middle School between 2002 and 2005.
Now Kinley faces a $3 million civil suit filed by the victim.
"He's managing and coping as best he can given the circumstances of what happened to him," said attorney Lloyd Byron Hopkins.
In August, Kinley pleaded guilty to child sex abuse, but in this civil case, she isn't the only defendant.
Hopkins says the state and Howard County schools are also responsible for not protecting his client from Kinley.
"They're responsible for their failures to do their jobs and to monitor and oversee and make sure the students are safe and that the teachers are not exploiting the students. They've failed here," said Hopkins.
Hopkins says Howard County schools have a pattern of teachers abusing students.
Two other teachers, 25-year-old Joseph Ellis and 52-year-old Alan Beier are also facing child sex abuse charges. They have not been convicted
The Howard County school system would not comment on the lawsuit.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
WJZ.COM's Most Popular Slideshows
