Fresno teacher found guilty of oral sex with eighth-grader

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A Fresno County jury found a former middle school teacher guilty of orally copulating an eighth-grade student in her classroom but acquitted her on a felony charge of committing a lewd or lascivious act with a minor.

The Fresno Bee reported that the teacher, Justine Karen Nelson, broke out into tears when the not guilty verdict was read Tuesday.

Deputy District Attorney Liz Owen told the jury that Nelson joked to detectives about “hooking up with a 14-year-old” but also denied having a relationship with the student or giving him oral sex.

Defense attorney Roger Nuttall said the more serious charge hinged on whether the boy was 13 or 14 years old at the time of the oral sex.

The student and his family are suing Fresno Unified School District.

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Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com