A former Utah teacher imprisoned for having sexual contact with three teenage boys said in a handwritten response filed in federal court that she had "no evil or malicious intent" in her relationship with one of the victims.
Brianne Altice, 36, submitted the two-page document last month in response to a lawsuit lodged against her and Davis School District in December by one of the victims and his parents.
In the filing, Altice writes that she cannot afford a lawyer to represent her. She said she had never been reprimanded by the school or the district for the way she dressed or her conduct in the classroom.
The former Davis High School English teacher — who is currently serving a two-to-30 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of forcible sexual abuse — further wrote that the then-16-year-old boy often helped her "thwart inappropriate comments directed at her" and came to her for advice on how to fix his strained relationship with his parents.
"Ms. Altice expressed and advised [the boy] to communicate with his parents and continue to do his best in school," Altice wrote, adding that the boy's grades improved during the 2012-2013 school year when she was his teacher.
The initial complaint alleged that employees at the school told officials about Altice's inappropriate behavior toward her male students, and the school did nothing in response.
Attorneys for the school district denied that officials had any knowledge of Altice's relationships with the three victims while she was still employed, according to a response filing.
Altice admitted in court documents that she touched the genitals of the three students from January to September 2013. Each of the three teen boys testified at separate preliminary hearings that they had sex with the teacher.
No trial dates had been set in the lawsuit as of Tuesday.
A second victim and his parents also have filed a lawsuit against the school district and Altice. In their filing, they allege Altice "took advantage" of the teen's admissions that he had a troubled childhood and had been sexually abused in the past. They also allege that the school district was aware of Altice's inappropriate relationships and did nothing to stop her conduct or protect the students. Neither Altice nor the school district has yet filed a response in that case.
jmiller@sltrib.com
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Brianne Altice, 35, was taken into custody and ordered to stand trial in 2nd District Court after Judge John R. Morris refused to set bail, Thursday, January 15, 2015. Altice, is facing a total of 14 felony charges for allegedly having sexual relationships with three male students: five counts of first-degree felony rape, two counts of first-degree felony forcible sodomy, three counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse, along with three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and one count of dealing harmful material to a minor, all third-degree felonies.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Brianne Altice reacts as victim #1's mother tells her, "I've been looking for a glimpse of remorse, but all I see is disbelief at what is happening to her," at Altice's sentencing hearing before Judge Thomas L. Kay. Brianne Altice was sentenced to up to 30 years, Thursday, July 9, 2015 in Judge Thomas L. Kay's Second District Courtroom. Altice, a former Davis High school teacher had sexual relationships with three of her students.
Courtesy | Utah Department of Corrections Brianne Altice
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