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State’s Attorney’s Office: Ex-teacher denies exposing himself to Glenelg High student
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The former Glenelg High School teacher accused of sexually abusing his student denied exposing himself to the girl when he took the stand Tuesday in Howard Circuit Court, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
The victim, 17 at the time, told police that her former history teacher Joseph Ellis, 26, of Elkridge, initiated sexual conversations with her and later exposed himself to her and tried to get her to touch him while they were alone in his classroom in December 2006.
But Ellis testified that he did not expose himself and the victim’s memory was inaccurate, said Wayne Kirwan, spokesman for the State’s Attorney’s Office.
The victim’s best friend, 17 at the time, testified that she was waiting for the victim outside of Ellis’ classroom when the incident occurred because the victim was supposed to give her a ride home.
“She had this look on her face like, ‘Don’t ask,’ ” said the friend. “She was scared. She was really angry. When we got into the car, she looked at me and almost broke down crying.”
The same friend said she saw explicit photographs that Ellis e-mailed to the victim Dec. 17, 2006.
Ellis admitted to sending the victim photographs of himself posing nude and having sex with an unidentified woman, but he testified that the victim asked him to send her the photographs, Kirwan said.
Detective Cpl. William Block, a computer forensic exam expert, found traces of the e-mail containing nude photographs on Ellis’ computer though the photos had been deleted. He also found the victim’s cell phone number in Ellis’ contact list.
Prosecutors played a recorded phone conversation between Ellis and the victim, which the police had scripted when the victim came forward with the allegations in January 2007.
The police told the victim what to say to get a confession from Ellis before arresting him, said Detective Penelope Branch in court.
“The state of Maryland allows you to record phone conversations with the consent of one party for certain crimes; child abuse is one of those,” Branch said.
Ellis could not give an explanation for his comments during the phone conversation and said he was caught off guard by the call, Kirwan said.
He faces a maximum of 23 years in prison on charges of sex abuse of a minor, indecent exposure, telephone misuse and two counts of a fourth-degree sex offense.
cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
5:44 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Former Howard County teacher guilty of sexually abusing minor"
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2:52 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 8, 2008
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Examiner Reader-Ellis's student said:
What he did was wrong and I am fully shocked on what he did. He never seemed liek that kind of guy, he always seemed kind of shy to me. If he were a woman there is no way he'd get 9 years in jail, but he's not and if he said he did it then he deserves some time in jail.
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Examiner Reader- Howard County Graduate said:
While Mr. Ellis was clearly wrong and there should be a consequence, the age difference of 17 and 25 should be taken into consideration. The victim allegedly asked him to send the photos (per Baltimore Sun). For the record, I think it was wrong, but the punishment should be appropriate. He did not engage in sex with the student. For comparison, per Baltimore Sun "(Kristin) Kinley pleaded guilty in August to having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy while she was a teacher at Hammond Middle School in late 2004 and early 2005. The boy was not a student at Hammond Middle. Kinley was sentenced to serve 18 months at the county detention center in November."
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Examiner Reader said:
Why aren't the prospective Board candidates, current Board members and Central Office Executive staff being asked their perspectives of this case?
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Examiner Reader said:
I wonder if the same sentence would be held if the teacher was a woman. My guess probably not......
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