CHERICE MORALEZ - 14 yo - (2008) / Convicted: Teacher, Stacey Rambold - Billings, MN

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Montana School Settles Claim By Family Of Suicide Victim

Posted on May 25, 2012


The Billings school district has settled a lawsuit filed by the family of a student who committed suicide after her former teacher was charged with raping her.

The wrongful death claim was filed in August 2010 by the family of Cherice Moralez, a Billings Senior High student who killed herself in February 2010, less than 18 months after former teacher Stacey Rambold was charged.

KULR-TV reports the district will pay $15,000 to cover its insurance deductible and the insurance company will pay an undisclosed amount to Moralez’s family. The school board approved the settlement Monday.

In 2010, Rambold pleaded guilty to performing sexual acts on a 14-year-old female student. He received a three-year deferred sentence.

Superintendent Jack Copps says the board was advised to settle the lawsuit.

http://integrated.processmyquote.com/montana-school-settles-claim-by-family-of-suicide-victim/

Shock Sentence: Judge Lets Teacher Stacey Rambold Off With 30 Days For Repeated Rapes of 14-Year-Old Student


By Jonathan Vankin, Tue, August 27, 2013

A judge in Yellowstone County, Mont., dealt a final insult to the family of a 14-year-old high school girl who killed herself after being repeatedly raped by her then 49-year-old teacher when the judge let the teacher, Stacey Rambold, off with a 30 day jail sentence.

Judge G. Todd Baugh’s reasoning behind the wrist-slapping sentence? The girl, Cherice Morales, was “as much in control of the situation” as Rambold. Though Rambold was 35 years older, the judge described the teenager as, "older than her chronological age."

The mother of the deceased teen, Auliea Hanlon, earlier testified that the rapes were “a major factor” in her daughter’s suicide. She pleaded with Baugh to send Rambold to prison for a lengthy term.

Prosecutors asked for a 20-year term with 10 years suspended. But Baugh was unmoved. He sentenced Rambold to 15 years, then suspended all but 31 days of the sentence — giving Rambold credit for one day already served.

Rambold (pictured) was arrested in 2008. In 2010 with his case still pending, Morales committed suicide. With the loss of their chief witness, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the charges against Rambold if he admitted to one count of rape and completed a lengthy sex-offender treatment program.

Rambold, who had been warned earlier by his school district supervisors to avoid being alone with underage girls, was booted from the program when it was discovered that he was having contact with minors. Rambold’s failure to finish the program led to prosecutors revisiting the charges against him. But Baugh said he did not agree with the decision to prosecute.

When the light sentence was announced, Hanlon shouted. “You people suck!” and immediately left the courtroom.

Morales has been described as a troubled teen who was targeted by Rambold who coaxed her into a continuing sexual relationship.

Rambold’s attorney, Jay Lansing, told the judge that his client had suffered enough, losing his job, home and marriage, as well as being branded with the “scarlet letter of the Internet” resulting from his repeated rapes of the 14-year-old girl.

Morales’ family earlier received a $91,000 settlement from the school district in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the case.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/shock-sentence-judge-lets-teacher-stacey-rambold-30-days-repeated-rapes-14-year-old

I couldn't find anything about the original arrest but I'm sure it's out there in cyber land.

This is mind boggling.

The parents settled for far too little.

This judge should not be on the bench.

Montana teacher gets 10 years in custody in student rape


Published September 26, 2014


Stacey Rambold standing in a courtroom after sentencing by Judge G. Todd Baugh in Billings, Mont., on Aug. 26, 2013. (AP)

BILLINGS, Mont. –  A Montana teacher was sentenced Friday to 10 years in custody in a student rape case that led to the censure of a judge who partially blamed the victim.

Stacey Dean Rambold, 55, was resentenced by Judge Randal Spaulding exactly a year after he completed an initial one-month prison term for the crime.

Five more years included in the new sentence were suspended.

Rambold appeared to grimace as the sentence was read. He was then handcuffed and led away by deputies, pausing briefly to exchange words with family as he exited the courtroom.

Rambold pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual intercourse without consent in the 2007 incident involving 14-year-old Cherice Moralez, a freshman in his Billings Senior High School business class. She committed suicide in 2010.

The state Supreme Court overturned Rambold's initial sentence, citing in part comments from Judge G. Todd Baugh who suggested the victim shared responsibility.

Baugh was censured and suspended for 31 days. He's stepping down when his terms ends in January.
During the sentencing hearing Friday, Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito asked Judge Spaulding to reject defense attempts to make the victim's conduct in the case a factor in Rambold's sentencing.

That included references by the defendant's attorney to video-taped interviews of the victim recorded by law enforcement prior to her death. Those recordings, which have never been made public, were cited by Baugh during his sentencing.

Under state law, children under 16 cannot consent to sexual intercourse.

"The last thing we want to do is sit here in the criminal justice system and say, `What is the age?' It doesn't matter. Fourteen is way too young," Twito said. "There has to be punishment....Punishment means prison."

Rambold's attorney, Jay Lansing, responded that there was no statute preventing the court from considering Moralez's conduct. He pointed out that similar objections were never raised by prosecutors during Rambold's first sentence, and said they were seeking a "do-over," which Lansing asserted was not allowed under state and federal law.

In a letter to the court, Rambold sought forgiveness and lamented the international publicity his case has generated.

"No one can really appreciate and understand what it feels like to have so many people actually hate you and be disgusted by you," Rambold wrote. "I do not mention this for the sake of sympathy, but it has been hard."

Twito asked the court to impose a 10-year prison sentence with another 10 years suspended. That is the same sentence prosecutors sought last year when the case was before Baugh, who instead adopted the much more lenient term suggested by Rambold's defense attorney.

Without Moralez, their primary witness, prosecutors struck a deal with Rambold that initially allowed him to avoid prison altogether.

Rambold, however, violated that agreement by having unauthorized visits with relatives' children and entering into a relationship with an adult woman without telling his counselor. As a result, the case was revived and Rambold pleaded guilty last year to the count of sexual intercourse without consent.

During the first sentencing, Baugh suggested the victim had as much control over her rape as the defendant and said she "appeared older than her chronological age." He gave Rambold a 15-year term with all but one month suspended.

That triggered an appeal from prosecutors and ultimately resulted in the case being reassigned to Spaulding.

Baugh's comments and the lenient sentence he handed down landed him before the state Supreme Court for disciplinary proceedings, which resulted in a 30-day suspension from the bench and a public censure for his misconduct in the case.

In a sentencing memorandum filed this week, Twito wrote that a tough sentence for Rambold was warranted given his position of authority over Moralez.

"His position of trust as a high school teacher, abuse of that position, and violations against the victim overshadows all mitigating circumstances," Twito wrote.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/09/26/teacher-to-be-re-sentenced-in-montana-rape-case/

10 years is an improvement over the 30 days but considering his victim committed suicide over this it's not nearly enough.  He should never be free again.  I hope he learns a lot about being raped in prison.

Dec 19, 2008 11:52 AM
Ex-Billings teacher charged with rape

A former Billings Senior High School teacher was arraigned in Billings District Court Monday on rape charges.

Stacey Rambold is facing three felony counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

The former teacher pleaded not guilty and was allowed to remain free following the trial after previously posting the $25,000 bond, which Judge Todd Baugh did not change.

Rambold, 49, was suspended by the school district in April after the allegations of an improper relationship with a 14-year-old female student surfaced. He resigned in July.

A trial date in the case has not yet been set.

If you have a comment on this story, please voice your opinion at the bottom of this page.

~~~~~(from the archives)

A former teacher at Senior High School faces charges that he raped a 14-year old student.

The rape charges come six months after the girl's mother reported alleged sexual contact.

School District 2 put Stacey Rambold, 49, on administrative leave in April.

Rambold resigned in July, after Superintendent Jack Copps attempted to revoke Rambold's teaching certificate.

Rambold is a 1977 West High graduate. He taught business at Senior High School for four years and began his relationship with the student last fall.

The county attorney's office charged Rambold with three counts of "sexual intercourse without consent."

Court documents indicate the rapes happened in Rambold's car, at Rambold's home, and at Senior High School.

The County Attorney's office says in the documents, if Rambold is convicted, he could receive life imprisonment, or a sentence between four and 100 years in the state prison, along a $50,000 fine for each count.

This isn't the first time time Rambold has been accused of inappropriate contact with a student.

In 2004, Senior High principal Scott Anderson met with Rambold to discuss allegations that he touched a girls thigh and waist, and was told to keep "his hands off all students".

The court affidavit says Anderson warned Rambold, "anything further would result in a formal investigation and a copy in his personnel file."

~~~~~(From the Archives)

The Billings School Board gathered Monday night for a special meeting to decide whether to bar a Senior High School teacher from ever teaching in the state of Montana.

The fate of Stacey Rambold's teaching career now lies in the hands of the State Board of Public Education.

Monday night the Billings School Board voted unanimously to turn this matter over to this state asking them to revoke Rambold's teaching certificate - which would prevent him from teaching anywhere in the Montana.

Rambold is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student for about a semester.

An investigation released by School District 2 gives specific details of the alleged sexual relationship between Rambold and a teenage student

Rambold was hired at Senior in 2004 where he worked as business teacher

Superintendent Jack Copps says the State will now conduct its own investigation and hold a hearing to decide whether to revoke Rambold's teaching certificate.

Superintendent Jack Copps, "We do not know at this point how quickly the board of education will act but it is my intent to go to Helena next week to meet with representatives of the board to encourage them to handle this matter as quickly as possible/"

School Board members did not discuss whether or not Stacy Rambold is guilty of the allegations. Although they agree he should not be teaching in School District Two.

The Billings Police Department is also investigating Rambold's case.

~~~~~(From the Archive)

School district two completes its investigation into an alleged relationship between a Senior High School male teacher and a female student.

Superintendent Jack Copps says he's concluded Stacey Rambold had a sexual relationship with 15-year old female student. Copps says this is the first time in his 47 years in education he's had to deal with an incident like this.

He says the results of the school district's investigation are so grievous and offensive that he wants to see Stacey Rambold barred from teaching anywhere in Montana, and possibly the country.

Copps says Rambold and the 15-year-old student had a relationship for about a semester.

According to the school district, Rambold graduated from West High School in 1977. He was a business teacher at Senior, and in the district for four years.

Copps will ask the school board to request the Montana Board of Public Education revoke Rambold's teaching certificate.

The Billings school board will vote on sending this to the state school board Monday at a special board meeting.

The school district does not know how long it will take for state board proceedings.

The Billings police department still has more interviews before it completes its investigation.

-David Jay reporting from KTVQ in Billings

~~~~~(From April 29, 2008)

A teacher at Senior High School in Billings has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into allegations charging statutory rape of a 15 year old female student.

Copps says the teacher, Stacey Rambold, is a business teacher at Senior High in his lower 40's.

According to a complaint from the girl's mother, Rambold allegedly had sexual contact with one of his female students.

School District 2 Superintendent Jack Copps said, "We are entrusted by this community to teach children and not to put children at risk- so I'm very concerned about that. I'm just deeply troubled that there's a possibility that this could have even happened. I'm also equally determined at this point to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what happened."

Copps says the teacher has been with the district for about four years ago.

Towards the beginning of his career, Rambold had a complaint filed against him by another female student for minor contact that she felt was inappropriate.

-Aaron Flint reporting from KTVQ in Billings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.ktvq.com/news/ex-billings-teacher-charged-with-rape/

Timeline of the Rambold rape case

Sep 26, 2014 9:11 PM
by MTN News - Billings

BILLINGS -- Stacey Dean Rambold was sentenced in Billings on Friday for raping 14-year-old Cherice Moralez, who later took her own life.

Judge Randall Spaulding ordered Rambold to serve 15 years with the Montana Department of Corrections, with five of those years suspended.

Here is a timeline of the case that has drawn international attention:

2007 - A 48-year-old business and technology teacher at Senior High School, Rambold has an ongoing sexual relationship with a 14-year-old freshman, Cherice Moralez, between October and December.

2008 - Rambold is placed on paid leave from his job when a police investigation is launched after Moralez tells a church member of her relationship with her teacher. The church member informs Moralez' mother, Auliea Hanlon, who calls police. Rambold later resigns from the school district.

- In November, Rambold is charged with three counts of sexual intercourse without consent. Prosecutors allege the former school teacher had sexual contact three times with Moralez, including once in his office at the school. Ramboold is allowed to remain free after posting a $25,000 bond.

2010 - Moralez commits suicide in February, shortly before her 17th birthday. In July, Rambold agrees to a deferred prosecution agreement with the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office. The agreement states, among other things, that the three rape charges against Rambold will be put on hold for three years and then dismissed if Rambold completes a sex offender treatment program and does not commit any new crimes. Rambold also provides a written confession to one of the charges as part of the agreement.

- In August, Hanlon files a $750,000 administrative claim against the Billings School District for wrongful death. A settlement is reached two years later when the school district agrees to pay about $90,000 to settle the claim.

2012 - In December, prosecutors revive the criminal case against Rambold after learning that he was terminated from sex offender treatment.

2013 - In January, Judge G. Todd Baugh sets Rambold's trial on the three felony rape charges for April. That month, instead of going to trial, Rambold and prosecutors enter into a plea agreement and Rambold pleads guilty to one of the three charges. The agreement states prosecutors will ask that Rambold receive a sentence of 20 years in prison, with 10 years suspended.

- At a sentencing hearing in August, Baugh rejects the prosecutor's recommendation. Baugh agrees to impose the sentence suggested by Rambold's defense attorney for 15 years, with all but 31 days suspended and one day credit for time served. During the hearing, Baugh explains the sentence in part by describing Moralez as "older than her chronological age" and saying the girl was a troubled youth who had "as much control of the situation" as Rambold.

- The sentence and the judge's statements stir a harsh reaction from the community. Several protests were held where participants demanded greater rights and recognition for rape victims. And despite an apology from Baugh, calls for the judge's resignation persisted, and soon the story was being reported by news organizations around the world.

- In September, the Montana Attorney General's files an appeal arguing the sentence ordered by Baugh was illegal because he failed to impose a mandatory minimum prison term.

- A formal complaint is filed against Baugh alleging he violated the judicial code of conduct in the Rambold case.

2014 - In April, the Montana Supreme Court reverses Rambold's sentence and orders a new hearing with a new judge. Judge Randall Spaulding of Roundup agrees to take the case after five other judges recuse themselves. The sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 26.

- Earlier, the Supreme Court finds Baugh violated the judicial code of conduct and orders him to receive a public censure and 30-day suspension. Baugh previously announced he would not run for re-election in 2014

http://www.krtv.com/news/timeline-of-the-rambold-rape-case/