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 ALBANY---Albany County Court Judge Stephen Herrick stunned the courtroom Monday during the sentencing of the former CBA English teacher charged with raping one of her male students when he said that the 16-year-old in the case is a victim in the statutory sense only.
"He certainly was not victimized by you in any other sense of the word", the judge told Sandra "Beth" Geisel, 42 of Latham.
Geisel was sentenced to six months in jail with credit for time served after pleading guilty to a single count of third degree rape and an unrelated charge of driving while intoxicated in full satisfaction of all charges against her, admitting that she had had sexual relations with the student at the Colonie Catholic prep school last spring.
Herrick told Geisel that "at the time this occurred, you were needy, drinking heavily and had a low self esteem. While you looked at this as affection, you were being used, abused and sexually abused. You became their playmate. " Herrick said that Geisel failed to realize that she was being used for sex and was being laughed at by the boys behind her back.
Her attorney, Donald Kinsella told reporters that she was responsible for her actions. In a brief statement to the court, Geisel said that she regretted the pain she'd caused the community and her family and that she looked forward to fulfilling her obligations.
Those obligations will include in-house substance abuse and mental health counseling after her release from Albany County Jail next month where she's held since her bail was revoked in August following an arrest for driving while intoxicated.
In addition to the six month sentence, Herrick also sentenced the mother of four to 10 years of probation. She will be required to register as a sex offender.
Albany County district attorney David Soares attacked the judge for his comments saying that "after hearing what the judge placed on the record I think it's pretty outrageous that we would characterize someone who perpetrated this offense on a youth as being anything other than a sexual offender…..the idea that he didn't see the young boys here as victims".
The alleged victim's attorney may be filing suit against Geisel and Christian Brothers Academy. In a rather strange choice of words, CBA attorney Mae D'Agostino said that "I hope for everybody's sake there are no civil lawsuits. I think it's best to put this to bed".
Geisel had been indicted in early September on three counts of third degree rape and one count of performing a criminal sexual act, all felonies as a result of her alleged encounters with the student in May. She was accused of having sex with the student three times---with his consent and perhaps his initiation of the act---once of her Latham home, once at his Ravena home and once in the press box at the CBA football stadium on campus.
Police initially found Geisel in a parked car with a 17-year-old male student in June. No criminal charges were filed because 17 is the legal age for consensual sex in New York State. She was fired from her CBA teaching position the day after the car incident.
While police were investigating that incident, the 16-year-old told police he had sexual relations with her and another 17-year-old also came forward. 11-21-05
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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