Ex-Berkeley Co. school staff close to plea deal over disturbing comments secretly recorded
BERKELEY COUNTY, W. Va. (7News) — Former Berkeley County Schools teacher Christina Lester and former aides June Yurish and Kristin Douty were all in Berkeley County Circuit Court on Wednesday facing a criminal charge of failure to report abuse or neglect back in 2019.
It carries a sentence of only 90 days.
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The women are accused of making disturbing comments to students with special needs in a classroom after a mother used a hidden audio recorder to listen in on their conversations with students.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers are working to dismiss the charges for a special agreement that will last a lifetime.
“Essentially, what we have been negotiating is dismissal of the charges in exchange for an agreement of the defendants to basically not be what the new law considers a person in a position of trust with a special needs child and that would essentially be a permanent concession because this court has the ability to hold them in contempt if they ever defy the order of this court,” says Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Catie Wilkes-Delligatti.
The court has yet to see a plea deal in writing. All three still face a lawsuit filed by the West Virginia Attorney General that accuses each of violating the state's human rights act. It's asking for a $5,000 penalty for each violation.
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Prosecutors said in court that parents of the students in the classroom during the incident are on board with the possible plea deal.
