Attorney for Lefave Weighs Deal
Details of the offer were not revealed, including whether the ex-teacher would go to prison under the agreement.
By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER, Times Staff Writer
Published June 17, 2005
TAMPA - Prosecutors have offered a plea deal to Debra Lafave, the former Greco Middle School reading teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student last June.
But her attorney told Hillsborough Circuit Judge Wayne Timmerman on Thursday that he wants more time to review the state's "very detailed" 37-page psychological evaluation of Lafave before sitting down with her and her parents to decide whether to accept the deal.
The judge told defense attorney John Fitzgibbons and prosecutor Mike Sinacore to return to court July 18, the day Lafave's trial is scheduled to begin. By then, both attorneys said, they will know whether they can resolve the case with a plea bargain or whether they will go forward with a trial they had hoped to avoid.
Sinacore did not reveal details of the plea deal. Fitzgibbons would not say whether the state's offer includes prison time for Lafave, who is charged in Hillsborough with two counts of lewd and lascivious battery. Both are second-degree felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each count.
Fitzgibbons did say the state's offer would resolve Lafave's charges in two counties, Hillsborough and Marion, where she also faces two counts of lewd and lascivious battery along with one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition involving the same teen.
In Hillsborough, Lafave, 24, is accused of having sex with the teenager in her townhome and at Greco Middle School. In Marion, authorities say she and the boy had sex in the back of her silver SUV while the teen's cousin, 15, drove them around Ocala.
Fitzgibbons and Sinacore have both said they would rather avoid a trial, given the anticipated the intense media interest and the stress and embarrassment it could cause for the student, who would be called to testify.
At issue are two opposing psychological evaluations of Lafave. Fitzgibbons' psychologist says she has "issues," and the lawyer is pursuing an insanity defense. He said his psychologist concluded, "Debbie is ill."
The state's psychologist concluded Lafave was not insane when the alleged acts occurred, Sinacore said. Neither evaluation is being released to the public.
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Pull up the article and take the poll on the right-hand side below her pic. When I voted, it was 60% saying no, she should not spend time in jail.
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