THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 3, 1994 TAG: 9408030472
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT GUY MATTHEWS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Ten minutes before former Chesapeake teacher Joseph Bonneville walked into Circuit Court on Tuesday to begin a sentencing hearing for sexually abusing a 12-year-old student nearly 20 years ago, he handed his victim a check for $200. It was the first payment of restitution that Bonneville had promised earlier to give her.
By the end of the day, Bonneville, 47, had a considerably higher tab to pay. Judge William Forbes sentenced him to 25 years in prison on three charges of rape and nine charges of carnal knowledge. The name of the victim, now 31 and also a Chesapeake teacher, is being withheld because The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star do not identify sexual-assault victims. Bitter looks and muffled crying peppered an emotional day in the courtroom as the story unfolded.
Beginning in 1976, Bonneville began an 18-month-long sexual relationship with the victim. The sexual incidents numbered in the hundreds, according to the victim. Most took place in Bonneville's blue-striped, custom-made van equipped with swivel chairs, curtains and a bed in the back.
She said Bonneville forced her to perform oral sex as he drove through the city streets on the way to pick up his 4-year-old son from day school in Norfolk. They also had intercourse in the parking lot of what is now Indian River Middle School.
In court Tuesday, Bonneville called it love.
``She loved me, I loved her, we would talk about the pain it would cause if anyone knew,'' Bonneville testified as he looked from the witness stand toward his victim. She stared downward and held her mother's hand tightly. ``She had feelings for me.''
Bonneville, who pleaded guilty to the charges in May, testified that he fell in love with the victim while dating her mother in 1976.
``We (Bonneville and his victim) spent an awful lot of time together. . . . I would get support and approval from her for the things I did,'' he testified. ``I remember looking in the mirror and asking could you be in love with a 13-year-old girl. The answer kept coming back yes. . . . It seems absurd now, (but) at the time it seemed right.
``. . . I was not a predator looking for this little girl. I did not use my position as a teacher to start the relationship,'' Bonneville testified.
Just before Bonneville stepped down from the stand, his attorney asked him if he wanted to tell his victim anything. Bonneville slowly turned his head, stared at the girl and said through tears, ``I'm sorry but it was out of love, I'm sorry.''
She never returned his gaze.
After hearing the testimony and watching a handcuffed Bonneville head for jail, she wondered whether turning him in last August was worth it - whether the dozens of times she had to tell her story to police, prosecutors and judges was worth it.
``I'll guess I'll find out in the future,'' she said quietly. ``Right now, I'm just numb.''
Bonneville could face more jail time stemming from the charges in Virginia Beach involving the same victim. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 15, according to prosecutor Janee Joslin. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Joseph Bonneville had an 18-month-long sexual relationship.
KEYWORDS: RAPE SEX CRIME CHILD MOLESTER TRIAL
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