I did NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS with that boy

"But, the Carroll junior testified, when he was at her apartment two days later, Sewell, then a third-grade teacher at Durham Elementary School in Southlake, performed a sex act on him."

Here's my interpretation of this matter. And isn't that an unflattering photo of her in the courtroom compared to the one just below? Just as "Reagan proved deficits don't matter" according to Dick Cheney, Bill Clinton proved blow jobs don't matter and fellatio is not "sexual relations" although it is still "sex" I suppose to some extent. Or not. I haven't gotten Bill to parse it down to that level yet.


Woman denies sex with youth
By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

FORT WORTH -- A former Southlake elementary teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a teenager vehemently denied Thursday that she performed any sex acts on him last spring at her apartment.

Michelle Sewell, 28, told a Tarrant County jury that she thwarted the advances of the 16-year-old boy during one visit to her Grapevine apartment in March 2005, and she denied that anything happened during another visit a couple of days later.

"What would you have done differently if you had the chance?" asked her attorney, Bob Hinton of Dallas.

"I would never have allowed him in my apartment alone," Sewell said. "I would never have associated with that family."

For most of Thursday afternoon, Sewell repeatedly denied having a sexual relationship with the Carroll High School student, whom she met in 2000 when she taught his sister.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Steve Jumes, Sewell admitted that she crossed the line when she gave the boy a quick kiss on the lips at her apartment March 4, 2005.

"In your mind, how could you allow a 16-year-old alone in your apartment?" Jumes asked.

"I was part of the family," Sewell said.

Sewell's testimony was a stark contrast to that of the teen, who was on the witness stand almost three hours Thursday morning telling jurors that he and Sewell kissed and caressed for hours March 4, 2005, at her apartment.

Before that happened, the teen told jurors, they had talked about teachers being arrested for having relationships with students, and that Sewell said it was wrong.

But, the Carroll junior testified, when he was at her apartment two days later, Sewell, then a third-grade teacher at Durham Elementary School in Southlake, performed a sex act on him.

Sewell is charged with one count of sexual assault of a child and three counts of indecency with a child. Each carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

The Star-Telegram is not identifying the boy because he is the alleged victim of sexual assault.

From the witness stand, the teen, now 17, rarely glanced at Sewell, who jotted down numerous notes. On several occasions, Sewell shook her head as the teen testified.

"I didn't tell my parents because I knew it meant I couldn't see her again," the teen testified Thursday.

The boy told the jury of eight women and four men that Sewell befriended him and his family, accompanying them on ski trips and to dinners at local restaurants. Sewell baby-sat for him and his sister, he testified.

But Sewell soon became more of a friend than a baby sitter, the teen told jurors.

"The conversations started to change," the teen said. "She talked about her sexual experiences. She also was upset because many of her friends were getting married. She called me crying from a wedding. We just shared each other's problems."

Under cross-examination by Hinton, the Carroll junior repeatedly answered, "I don't remember," when questioned about details of the sexual encounters and his statements to police and school officials.

"On the night of March 4, was your shirt off or on?" Hinton asked.

"I don't remember," the teen answered.

In his opening statements, Hinton told the jury that the teen is a liar who was having problems at home with his parents.

Testimony is scheduled to continue today in Criminal District Court 372.