Jury convicts ex-teacher of sexual assault

HARRISBURG, Ark. (AP) — A former English teacher in northeast Arkansas has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting a then-15-year-old student with whom he fathered a child.
 
The Poinsett County jury deliberated about three hours Wednesday before convicting Danny Akers, 40, of first-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree sexual assault. Akers, who taught at Trumann High School, was arrested in February 2013 after an investigation by Trumann police.

The victim, who is now 18, testified that she got pregnant in September 2011 and had the baby in July 2012. An Arkansas State Crime Lab report found there was a 99.99 percent probability that Akers was the father of the child.

“Teachers have a duty to protect children, not abuse them,” prosecutor Scott Ellington said. “This 15-year-old victim was vulnerable and Danny Akers took advantage of her. We are pleased that the jury has held Mr. Akers accountable for his crimes.”

Defense attorney Martin Lilly told The Jonesboro Sun he’s disappointed with the verdict and that they’re considering an appeal.

Akers testified that he loved the victim and their child and said he wanted to “do the right thing.”

“To think (the child) will not have a father in his life would be an injustice,” Akers said during the sentencing phase. “What I did was wrong. I did not murder or forcibly rape her. I won’t get a teaching job. I am sorry for the pain and wrong I’ve done.”

But deputy prosecutor Jimmy Gazalay challenged Akers, asking: “Do the right thing? Were you doing the right thing when you had sex with a 16-year-old girl in a classroom.”

Akers responded: “That’s a loaded question. If I say yes, that means I admitted having sex in the classroom.”

Akers’ attorney had asked jurors to consider a lesser sentence, noting that his client had no previous criminal record and had served in the military.

“He has cooperated with the investigation. (Under state law), there are a range of options on the sentence. Mr. Akers is asking for mercy,” Lilly told the jury.