THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 20, 1994 TAG: 9407200449
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT GUY MATTHEWS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
Minutes before five pre-teenage girls were to tell a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge that their gym teacher Michael Hearring had fondled them during class, Hearring pleaded guilty Tuesday to six lesser charges of assault and battery.
Hearing originally faced five sexual-assault charges, all felonies, and a single charge of assault and battery, a misdemeanor. But with the consent of the girls' parents, prosecutor Larry Willis agreed to reduce the charges.
Hearring, who has been on suspension from Greenbrier Intermediate School since charges were filed May 19, is at least the eighth Chesapeake teacher in the past three years charged with sexual misconduct.
He was sentenced to 12 months in jail on each charge, but the time was suspended. He also had to pay a $600 fine.
In addition, Hearring agreed to resign from the Chesapeake school system. Because he has several assault and battery convictions on his record, it is unlikely he will be allowed to teach anywhere in the state.
The girls alleged that Hearring assaulted them between December 1993 and April. According to police warrants, the girls said Hearring would touch them in the chest area during class and comment that they needed to develop muscles there.
KEYWORDS: SEX CRIME ARREST ASSAULT by CNB