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NAMPA, Idaho (AP) — Prosecutors in southwestern Idaho agreed to amend a former juvenile correction nurse's sex crime charge largely because of pending lawsuits against the state.
The lawsuits filed against the state over alleged sex abuse at the state's juvenile detention facility in Nampa impacted the criminal case against Valerie Lieteau, according to court recordings obtained by The Idaho Press-Tribune (http://bit.ly/1ZrVis0), a Nampa newspaper.
Lieteau was originally charged with sexual battery of a child and sexual contact with an inmate. In a plea agreement filed with the court in March, prosecutors agreed to reduce those counts to a single charge of aggravated assault in exchange for Lieteau's guilty plea.
On Tuesday, an Idaho judge rejected that deal with no explanation despite prosecutors' concerns that the lawsuit could cause problems with evidence and victim testimony.
"The state recognized that there are potential evidentiary issues in this case," Canyon County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Erica Kallin told 3rd District Court Judge Christopher Nye in March. "As this court is aware, there is a civil case pending and the state did have concerns about potential attacks to the credibility of the three alleged victims as a result of that lawsuit."
According to the court recordings, Lieteau would have had to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation to determine if prosecutors should recommend probation or serve a rider treatment program.
"I think, basically, your honor, both sides recognize the weight of the evidence, recognize the chances (of conviction), as I indicated at the bench (it's) probably 50-50 for both sides and feel that this is in the best outcome for everyone," said Kallin to the judge in March.
Lieteau, 42, is now scheduled to go to trial Oct. 24 on two counts of sexual battery on a minor and two counts of sexual contact with a juvenile inmate. She faces a possible lengthier sentence compared with pleading guilty to aggravated assault.
Lieteau, who worked at the facility from 2008 to 2011, told police in 2014 that she had conducted classes on sexually transmitted diseases and only engaged with inmates professionally. She was charged in June 2015.
Several other employees were fired under a previous investigation into sexual abuse at the Nampa facility, and several former inmates have filed lawsuits.
A previous investigation into sexual abuse at the center has led to the firing of several employees, and several former inmates have filed lawsuits. In all, 11 males and one female say they were sexually abused by workers at the center.
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Information from: Idaho Press-Tribune, http://www.idahopress.com
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