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Girl coerced by Santa Barbara police to make sex accusations, then recants? |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 22 July 2004 |
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Teacher faces six additional charges
Druyan Byrne accused of lewd conduct, unlawful intercourse
7/22/04
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Six new charges were filed this week against a theater arts instructor who has already been ordered to stand trial on charges of felony lewd conduct with a 15-year-old girl and, in another case, on charges of sex with a minor.
The new charges against Druyan Byrne, 39, stem from the 15-year-old girl coming forward to tell authorities that her relationship with the suspect was more extensive than she had previously indicated.
Mr. Byrne is scheduled to be arraigned today on three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and three counts of lewd acts with a child under 16 by someone at least 10 years older.
Mr. Byrne previously pleaded not-guilty to felony lewd conduct with a child and the charge of sex with a minor in an incident with another girl. He's been free on $50,000 bail since his September arrest.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen filed the additional charges this week after the girl's new information surfaced.
If convicted on all counts, Mr. Byrne faces a maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in prison. Because the three counts of unlawful intercourse cover the same incidents as the three lewd acts counts, sentences would be concurrent.
In the original case, Mr. Byrne is accused of taking nude photographs with a mobile-phone camera of the 15-year-old and of kissing her lips and touching her breasts.
Although the girl recanted and insisted during the preliminary hearing that her story was made up, Superior Court Judge Joseph Lodge ruled there was enough evidence to order Mr. Byrne to stand trial.
Defense lawyer Robert Sanger said during the March hearing that police pressured the girl during her questioning and that no lewd acts were committed.
She testified that during an interview with police, she wasn't feeling well, was hungry and wanted to go home: "I felt the only way I was going to get out of that room was to tell (the detective) what he wanted and tell him something happened."
The girl testified that she requested Mr. Byrne take photographs of her walking naked through wardrobe racks in the costume room at Santa Barbara High School because she wanted to use them for a project. That reportedly occurred in August when Mr. Byrne was a contract instructor with a youth theater arts summer camp. A co-worker noticed the mobile-phone photographs and alerted authorities.
The girl recently came forward and told authorities her recanting was not truthful.
She then told them about the three alleged incidents of sexual intercourse with Mr. Byrne.
It was during the police investigation of the original case that another count of sex with a minor emerged.
When detectives searched Mr. Byrne's house, they reportedly found hundreds of photographs of naked women, some apparently underage, police said.
From those photographs, police identified the second girl and spoke with her. Police said she told authorities Mr. Byrne began photographing her nude when she was 15 and then had sex with her two years later.
Lawyers will likely consolidate the two cases, which may go to trial in September before Superior Court Judge George Eskin.
:nav Source: http://news.newspress.com/topsports/072204charges.htm
:cryptic :cantfigure
Name : Druyan Byrne
E-mail :
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Location : Santa Barbara, CA
URL :
Ages of kids : None --Teacher
Want to be contacted for a survey? : yes
Comment : Thank you for your web site, and for sharing the information. I am currently a victim of an overly-zealous prosectutor who has broken the law by manipulating evidence to try an convict me for lewd conduct. It is very frightening, and I feel very helpless.
:nav Source: http://us.geocities.yahoo.com/gb/view?member=cp_prosecutions
:cryptic
Posted on Fri, Oct. 03, 2003
News briefs from California's Central Coast
Associated Press
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) - Youth theater teacher Druyan Byrne pleaded innocent to felony lewd conduct with a child.
Byrne, 39, was arrested Sept. 2 after police allegedly found nude photos of a 15-year-old girl on his cellular telephone camera.
"I'm absolutely innocent of all charges," Byrne said after arraignment Thursday before Superior Court Judge Deborah Talmage. He remains free on $50,000 bail.
The girl who allegedly appears in the photos on Byrne's cell phone was his assistant when he worked as a contract instructor with the Lobero Theatre's summer camp for 9- to 14-year-olds.
Deputy District Attorney Joyce Dudley said Byrne allegedly touched the victim with "the apparent intent of sexual arousal or gratification," but she declined to be more specific.
A hearing will be held Oct. 22.
:nav Source: http://www.timesleader.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/peninsula/6925202.htm
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