Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction of a Moab teacher and softball coach accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl who has since committed suicide.
The appeals court said jurors in the 2003 trial of Arielle Beck may have been unduly influenced by the "prolonged and adversarial questioning" of Beck by 7th District Judge Lyle Anderson.
Trial judges are allowed to question witnesses to clarify issues, but Anderson's questioning could have given jurors the impression he doubted Beck's testimony, the appeals court said.
Anderson also challenged Beck to explain weak aspects of her case, including asking why she had not produced certain evidence, such as her computer, to bolster her testimony, the appeals court said.
Defense attorney Ed Brass argued before the appeals court in April that defendants have no obligation to provide any evidence, and, "the judge simply went too far."
The girl twice attempted suicide before Beck's trial and succeeded in killing herself in November.
Beck, now 26, was convicted of three second-degree felony counts of forcible sexual abuse and misdemeanor counts of stalking and supplying alcohol to a minor.
Anderson sentenced Beck to consecutive one-to-15-year prison terms. She has a parole-release date of Oct. 24.
"We are extremely disappointed in the ruling," said Deputy Utah Attorney General Karen Klucznick. "We do feel that defendant Arielle Beck did receive a fair trial."
She said the state has not decided whether to appeal the decision to the Utah Supreme Court.
Beck could be tried again, and the girl's original testimony could be read into the record, but Klucznik said, "You don't get the emotional impact of her testimony."
Klucznik said her heart went out to the girl's family.
"The trial itself was a difficult proceeding because it divided the community and the victim's family was subjected to hostility," she said.
At trial, the girl testified Beck had kissed and sexually touched her on several occasions, including school football games, in 2002. Other students testified they saw Beck and the girl kissing and touching. The school principal testified he saw the two engage in inappropriate wrestling and other physical contact at school.
Beck denied any sexual relationship with the girl and claimed she never sent romantic correspondence. Her fingerprints, however, were found on some of the letters.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
