Lawyer for school secretary accused of sex with students slams cops over viral video: 'Injustice of magnanimous proportions'

Source: Blaze Media · Bias: Right

Summary

A married school secretary at an Indiana high school was reportedly caught by her husband having a sexual relationship with a student in mid-February, which led to the discovery that she allegedly had an unlawful sexual relationship with a second student. However, the suspect's lawyer is calling for action after a video of her interrogation by police went viral, which he described as an "injustice of magnanimous proportions."As Blaze News reported last month, 31-year-old Alicia Hughes was arrested "following an investigation into allegations involving inappropriate conduct with a minor," according to police.'I'll need my lawyer here at this point.'The Union City Police Department announced in a statement, "During the course of the investigation, officers learned that Hughes’ husband had discovered her with an 18-year-old student of Randolph Eastern School Corporation and confronted the individuals."Police said Hughes was allegedly "battered during that altercation." The Randolph County Sheriff's Department is investigating the alleged battery.Hughes, an employee of the Randolph Eastern School Corporation, was involved in a sexual relationship with a second student, police stated."As the investigation progressed, Union City Police Department investigators uncovered evidence that Alicia Hughes had also engaged in a sexual relationship with a separate high school student who was 17 years old at the time," the statement read.Police determined that Hughes and the underage student "engaged in sexual intercourse on at least five occasions."On Feb. 17, Hughes was arrested and charged with five counts of child seduction related to the sexual relationship with the minor student, according to police.According to Indiana law, child seduction is when a "person uses or exerts the person's professional relationship to engage in sexual intercourse, other sexual conduct, or any fondling or touching with the child with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of the child or the person."According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, child seduction is a Level 5 felony in Indiana if the child is at least 16 years old but less than 18.If convicted on all five charges of child seduction, Hughes faces a prison term of between five and 30 years, plus a fine of up to $10,000.Cleveland.com reported that Randolph Eastern School Corporation Superintendent Neal Adams announced that Hughes "has been removed from all duties with students pending the outcome of the legal process."However, Hughes' attorney is calling for action after the Union City Police Department released a video that showed a portion of the school employee's interrogation by an officer.Hughes' attorney, David M. Jordan, called the release of the interrogation video "an injustice of magnanimous proportions," the Star Press reported.Mark Ater, the Union City Police Department's director of public safety, admitted that his department released the video but said that it was "lawful" to do so."The release was lawful, measured, and deliberate," Ater told the Star Press. "The portion disclosed contained no admission of criminal conduct."Ater pointed out that the two-minute video clip shows an officer discussing accusations that Hughes had sex with an 18-year-old student, which he said is "conduct that is legal under Indiana law."Ater added, "The department exercised restraint and ensured no protected information was disclosed."Ater stressed that all of the names of any alleged victims have been redacted from the video.Hughes' attorney argued, "For his own selfish reasons, [Ater] had impeded the defendant's right to a fair trial, led the public to believe there are multiple alleged victims, and drawn attention to the defendant's request for a lawyer."Jordan claimed that the video went viral, racking up "millions of combined views of the media accounts containing the defendant's interrogation footage."The video of the interrogation appeared on numerous websites, including the New York Post, as well as the Sun and the Mirror in the U.K.Jordan demanded an "expedited hearing" and for the judge to order "Mark Ater, and the Union City Police Department not to release any other evidence or statements to the media" about Hughes' case "without prior approval of the court."Jordan also asked Ater to issue a public apology "for releasing the interrogation video."The attorney called on Randolph Circuit Court Judge Jay Toney to order Ater to pay Jordan's office "not less than $10,000" for "the time and effort his law firm has spent collecting evidence for the gag order and presenting the matter to the court."RELATED: Teacher of the year arrested for alleged child sex crimes — then she's arrested on similar charges just days later Randolph County Prosecutor David Daly also expressed concern over the release of the interrogation video.Daly noted, "The recent release of the video interview of Ms.

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Lawyer for school secretary accused of sex with students slams cops over viral video: 'Injustice of magnanimous proportions'
Blaze Media

Lawyer for school secretary accused of sex with students slams cops over viral video: 'Injustice of magnanimous proportions'

Right

A married school secretary at an Indiana high school was reportedly caught by her husband having a sexual relationship with a student in mid-February, which led to the discovery that she allegedly had an unlawful sexual relationship with a second student. However, the suspect's lawyer is calling for action after a video of her interrogation by police went viral, which he described as an "injustice of magnanimous proportions."As Blaze News reported last month, 31-year-old Alicia Hughes was arrested "following an investigation into allegations involving inappropriate conduct with a minor," according to police.'I'll need my lawyer here at this point.'The Union City Police Department announced in a statement, "During the course of the investigation, officers learned that Hughes’ husband had discovered her with an 18-year-old student of Randolph Eastern School Corporation and confronted the individuals."Police said Hughes was allegedly "battered during that altercation." The Randolph County Sheriff's Department is investigating the alleged battery.Hughes, an employee of the Randolph Eastern School Corporation, was involved in a sexual relationship with a second student, police stated."As the investigation progressed, Union City Police Department investigators uncovered evidence that Alicia Hughes had also engaged in a sexual relationship with a separate high school student who was 17 years old at the time," the statement read.Police determined that Hughes and the underage student "engaged in sexual intercourse on at least five occasions."On Feb. 17, Hughes was arrested and charged with five counts of child seduction related to the sexual relationship with the minor student, according to police.According to Indiana law, child seduction is when a "person uses or exerts the person's professional relationship to engage in sexual intercourse, other sexual conduct, or any fondling or touching with the child with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of the child or the person."According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, child seduction is a Level 5 felony in Indiana if the child is at least 16 years old but less than 18.If convicted on all five charges of child seduction, Hughes faces a prison term of between five and 30 years, plus a fine of up to $10,000.Cleveland.com reported that Randolph Eastern School Corporation Superintendent Neal Adams announced that Hughes "has been removed from all duties with students pending the outcome of the legal process."However, Hughes' attorney is calling for action after the Union City Police Department released a video that showed a portion of the school employee's interrogation by an officer.Hughes' attorney, David M. Jordan, called the release of the interrogation video "an injustice of magnanimous proportions," the Star Press reported.Mark Ater, the Union City Police Department's director of public safety, admitted that his department released the video but said that it was "lawful" to do so."The release was lawful, measured, and deliberate," Ater told the Star Press. "The portion disclosed contained no admission of criminal conduct."Ater pointed out that the two-minute video clip shows an officer discussing accusations that Hughes had sex with an 18-year-old student, which he said is "conduct that is legal under Indiana law."Ater added, "The department exercised restraint and ensured no protected information was disclosed."Ater stressed that all of the names of any alleged victims have been redacted from the video.Hughes' attorney argued, "For his own selfish reasons, [Ater] had impeded the defendant's right to a fair trial, led the public to believe there are multiple alleged victims, and drawn attention to the defendant's request for a lawyer."Jordan claimed that the video went viral, racking up "millions of combined views of the media accounts containing the defendant's interrogation footage."The video of the interrogation appeared on numerous websites, including the New York Post, as well as the Sun and the Mirror in the U.K.Jordan demanded an "expedited hearing" and for the judge to order "Mark Ater, and the Union City Police Department not to release any other evidence or statements to the media" about Hughes' case "without prior approval of the court."Jordan also asked Ater to issue a public apology "for releasing the interrogation video."The attorney called on Randolph Circuit Court Judge Jay Toney to order Ater to pay Jordan's office "not less than $10,000" for "the time and effort his law firm has spent collecting evidence for the gag order and presenting the matter to the court."RELATED: Teacher of the year arrested for alleged child sex crimes — then she's arrested on similar charges just days later Randolph County Prosecutor David Daly also expressed concern over the release of the interrogation video.Daly noted, "The recent release of the video interview of Ms.