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This is a test page for my new poetry blog. I am Tami and I am a poetry nut of sorts. Actually, I enjoy writing many things, but that's not something that interests you. Poetry, now that's interesting. I find poetry to be entertaining, fascinating, mysterious and beautiful. It is many things.
One of my favorite poets is John Donne. He was a 16th Century poet whom I find to smack of cynisism, wit, humor, seriousness, reality and all is tempered with a nice dose of sensitivity.
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"The Canvas Between The Lines"
Years before Joe Billera's arrest, parents and students had complained of his conduct with his young students.
The Statesman Journal Newspaper of Salem, Oregon on January 16th, 2005:
"S-K district knew about complaints of Billera's conduct with students
Some parents expressed concern about the teacher four years before his arrest for sexual abuse
TIMOTHY J. GONZALEZ | STATESMAN JOURNAL
Joe Billera (left) answers to charges against him in December, with his lawyer, Paul Ferder. Some parents had accused Billera of inappropriate behavior with students at least four years before his arrest.
TRACY LOEW
Statesman Journal
January 16, 2005
At least a half-dozen Salem-Keizer School District officials were told years ago about Houck Middle School band teacher Joe Billera's inappropriate behavior with female students, documents obtained by the Statesman Journal show.
But until Billera's arrest on sex abuse charges in October, the district never placed Billera on leave, never hired an independent investigator and never reported the complaints to the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. District officials say all are standard procedures when a teacher is accused of serious misconduct.
Billera was disciplined after one flurry of complaints in fall 2001. District officials said that teacher privacy rules prevent them from disclosing what that discipline was, but it did not involve any time away from the classroom.
Some parents say their concerns were ignored or mishandled and they fault the district for failing to piece together what now appears to be a pattern of inappropriate behavior.
"They were overlooking it because he was such a good teacher," parent Tim Haburn said. "This has been going on for years."
Billera, 30, recently pleaded guilty to sexually abusing four former students, beginning a few months after he was hired in 1997. His sentencing is set for Wednesday. He resigned from his job Jan. 6.
District officials refused to disclose information about complaints against Billera, citing teacher and student privacy laws. The newspaper filed an appeal of that decision under Oregon's public-records law, and Marion County District Attorney Walt Beglau ordered the district to make some of the documents public.
Several parents complained
Review of the documents and extensive interviews reveal:
A number of parents say they complained about an incident in late 2000 in which a 13-year-old student was sitting on Billera's lap, with a blanket wrapped around the pair, at a school sporting event.
A year later, in notes of a telephone conversation with a concerned parent, then-employee relations director George Gray wrote, "I told (the parent) that the matter had been investigated; that it is not appropriate for student to sit on teacher's lap."
However, the district has no other record of the complaints or of any investigation, said Joe Weiss, the district's human resources director.
"I sat and talked to (then-Houck Principal) Pat Mack about it," parent Haburn said.
Mack was principal of Houck from the time it opened in 1995 until her retirement in June 2003. She could not be reached for comment.
Billera has admitted having sexual intercourse with the girl, and inappropriately touching another, during that time period. He also has admitted sexually abusing a third girl before that time.
The district disciplined Billera in late 2001 after several students said he had threatened them for gossiping about his close relationship with the same 13-year-old girl.
In a written complaint to Mack, Robert Ogan, the parent of one of the threatened students, said he thought that the gossip was based on fact.
He described seeing Billera out with the child on a Saturday night at a nonschool function with no chaperone. The complaint also described the lap-sitting incident.
"I am still not certain why rumors are becoming an issue after two years of ongoing concern," Ogan wrote. "It looks to me like people are only saying what they see."
The documents show that Ogan also discussed his concerns with Gray, Superintendent Kay Baker, and Mark Davalos, who then was assistant director of secondary education. Davalos and Gray no longer work for the district.
Baker wrote a letter to Ogan saying that she had referred his concerns to Weiss.
Weiss said that teacher privacy rules prevent him from saying what discipline Billera received. State law allows school districts to set their own rules for access to employee personnel files. Salem-Keizer's contract with its teachers union calls for those files, including discipline records, to be closed.
Billera was not placed on leave during the investigation. Weiss would not say whether that was because officials did not consider the complaints serious, because they chose not to follow district policy, or for another reason.
In June, Salem police investigated a complaint that Billera may have sexually assaulted a student, a charge that Billera now has admitted.
The complainant, a local attorney, was the parent of an older student in whom the victim had confided. Police closed their investigation after interviewing the victim, who denied having a sexual relationship with Billera.
Salem Police Officer Joe Johnson interviewed the victim at North Salem High School. She told Johnson that Billera recently had confronted her at her boyfriend's home, called her a "whore," and threatened her.
Although district policy calls for the principal to be notified when police interview a student at school, in this case, police chose not to do that, Weiss said. They arranged the interview through school resource officer Clem Spenner. School resource officers are police department employees who are based in the schools.
Johnson completed his report on June 21, but it was not forwarded to the district until after Billera's arrest in October. Johnson did not respond to requests for an interview.
Salem Police Lt. Jim Anglemier said the report was not immediately sent to the school district because Johnson was transferred to a different division, and his replacement was quickly assigned higher-priority cases.
Weiss said that no one at the district had knowledge of the police investigation until after Billera was arrested in October. He said the police report definitely would have prompted the district to do its own investigation.
The victim also told police that she thought Billera had been investigated in 2000 after giving private, full-body massages to herself and another girl at school. She said the other girl's parents had complained, but no one had ever questioned her about the massages.
District officials say they have no record of that investigation.
"We have no knowledge of any of those complaints," Weiss said.
Billera grew up in Salem
Billera grew up in Salem and graduated from North Salem High School, where he was drum major of the marching band.
He was identified as a future band teacher for Salem schools, and studied band teaching at the University of Oregon. He graduated in 1996.
Billera spent the past seven years as the director of the award-winning Houck band program, developing perhaps the largest and best middle school band program in the state. He also was assistant director of the North High band program, and assisted with McNary's band program.
Billera won the Crystal Apple Award for teaching excellence in 2001 and was chosen as the 2002 Music Educator of the Year by the Oregon Symphony Association of Salem.
He worked for the University of Oregon School of Music band camp for grades eight through 12, serving as recreation and housing director.
Billera has been married for five years. He has a young son and another child on the way.
He was previously married, for less than three months in 1995, when he and his spouse were 21. Divorce files show the couple asked for an emergency dissolution due to irreconcilable differences. There were no children.
Last week, Billera agreed to resign in exchange for the district providing insurance coverage through the birth of his second child, expected in late March. The separation agreement saves the district the time and expense of a termination under Oregon's Fair Dismissal Law. Billera also agreed to never again apply for a position in the district.
Superintendent Kay Baker sent a copy of a Statesman Journal story about Billera's arrest to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission on Nov. 1. The commission is investigating but will not take action until the criminal matter is resolved, director Vickie Chamberlain said. Neither the district nor parents had filed any previous complaints with the state.
Billera has been in jail since his arrest Oct. 29. He initially was on suicide watch, and at his request currently is in protective custody, meaning that he is isolated from other inmates.
That's not unusual for someone who has never been in jail and is facing child sex-abuse charges, said Deputy Kevin Rau of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
In late December, under a plea agreement, Billera admitted to 10 of the 15 charges in exchange for a sentence of six to 12 years. The statutory maximum is 53 years.
Deputy District Attorney Darin Tweedt said he will try to persuade the judge to impose a longer sentence. If the judge agrees, Billera could choose to change his plea and request a trial.
Billera's lawyer, Paul Ferder, said he hopes to persuade the judge that Billera can be rehabilitated.
"Our goal is acknowledging there was some inappropriate behavior but that he's a very good teacher," Ferder said. "He basically had a relationship with a couple of the gals. The other ones are getting a little publicity out of it."
Billera, through Ferder, declined a request for an interview.
tloew@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6779
Teacher complaints
Here are excerpts from two documents referring to complaints about former Houck Middle School band teacher Joe Billera. The Salem-Keizer School District refused to release the documents until ordered to do so by Marion County District Attorney Walt Beglau.
From the Oct. 22, 2001, notes of George Gray, then-employee relations director, of a conversation with a parent:
"It was swept under the rug by Principal ... . Child was interrogated by the teacher and accused of spreading lies. Another parent's child pulled out of class by teacher ... . Some other parents and I are fed up. We're going to (Teacher Standards and Practices Commission). This will end up in the newspaper probably."
From an Oct. 9, 2001, letter Kay Baker wrote responding to a parent's complaints:
"This letter is in response to our recent telephone conversation in which you raised several questions regarding licensed staff.
"While the district does not have a policy concerning the specific behavior you described, District Policies and Rules GAM, section 4 states, 'Each employee shall observe good ethical and desirable practices in his/her services to the district.'
"Additionally, all licensed staff must conform to the professional standards of conduct as defined by Teachers Standards and Practices Commission, the body that governs teacher licensure in Oregon. These standards are set forth in the Oregon Administrative Rules 584, Division 020, as the Standards for Competent and Ethical Performance of Oregon Educators. I have enclosed excerpts of these documents for your review.
"I hope this will address your concerns and questions.
"As concerns of this nature may develop into a personnel matter, I have referred the issue you raised to Joe Weiss, director of human resources for further review."
Records requested
On Nov. 4, 2004, the Statesman Journal filed a request under the state's open-records law for a copy of Joe Billera's personnel file. The district denied the request because its contract with its teachers union protects that information, as allowed by state law.
On Nov. 12, 2004, the Statesman Journal requested information about complaints kept outside Billera's personnel file. On Dec. 6, the district denied that request. The newspaper appealed, and on Dec. 20 Marion County District Attorney Walt Beglau ordered the district to provide the newspaper with some of those records, which it did on Dec. 27.
The newspaper also has requested records of all sexual misconduct complaints filed against district employees. The district has said it would be costly and time-consuming to comply with that request.
District officials have not responded to a Jan. 3 request for records of complaints about George Deines, who recently pleaded no contest to harassment in connection with a student. The student has brought a civil suit against the district, saying that her complaints about Deines were ignored.
Beglau said that police arrest and investigation reports connected with the Billera case will be sealed permanently because they involve child abuse."
and
"Billera sentencing
Houck Middle School band teacher Joe Billera is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.
Billera, 30, was arrested Oct. 29 on two counts of first-degree sex abuse. On Nov. 12, he was indicted on 13 additional sex-related charges.
They involve allegations from four female former students regarding incidents between June 1998 and July 2002. Billera has pleaded guilty to 10 counts. He resigned from the district, in lieu of dismissal, effective Jan. 6. He remains in the Marion County jail.
Billera pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree rape, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, three counts of second-degree sodomy and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor.
He also had been charged with one additional count of first-degree sexual abuse, two additional counts of second-degree sexual abuse and two additional counts of second-degree sodomy. Under a plea agreement, those charges would be dropped and no additional charges could be made in connection with the four named victims."
I was not able to access the article in it's entirity before it was archived, but the December 24th 2004 Statesman Journal writes:
"2 more charges of sex abuse Police investigation leads to a second alleged victim Police investigation leads to a second alleged victim BY DAN DE CARBONEL Statesman Journal A Woodburn elementary school teacher on Thursday faced a formal charge of sex abuse involving a girl that jail records described as a former stepdaughter. Before Mark Haevers, 54, of Salem, could post bail at the Marion County jail, authorities charged him with two new counts of sex abuse in..."
January 2, 2005. Statesman Journal Newspaper, Salem, Oregon reports that Joseph Billera is scheduled for sentencing on January 19th.
The newspaper is sure to point out that Mr. Billera is well liked and the newspaper, in it's archive, prints the allegation of only former student, though there were four involved in the charges.
"Salem parents and music students were stunned in the fall when police arrested a band teacher on allegations that he sexually abused a former student. Joseph Billera, 30, pleaded guilty Dec. 27 to 10 sex-related charges involving former students. Sentencing is set for Jan. 19 in Marion County Circuit Court. Billera was arrested Oct. 27 at Houck Middle School, where he had taught for eight years. An investigation launched after a former student filed a complaint with police revealed four..."
January 4, 2005. AP
"Swedish Boy Missing in Thailand
By MATTIAS KAREN
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Swedish and Thai police said Tuesday they were searching for a 12-year-old Swedish boy last seen leaving a hospital in Thailand with an unknown man in the aftermath of the tsunami in south Asia.
A boy matching the description of Kristian Walker was last seen Monday with a German man at a hospital near the resort of Khao Lak but has since vanished, despite a desperate search by his American grandfather, Daniel Walker, family and police said.
The boy was listed as missing by international law enforcement agencies worldwide Tuesday.
Swedish and Thai police said they were searching for the boy, but said they could not confirm media reports that he had been kidnapped.
Two Swedish police officers were assisting in the investigation, National Police spokeswoman Carolina Ekeus said.
Dr. Pisith Yongyuth, director of Taimuang hospital in Phang Nga province, told AP that a German man brought a boy who might be Kristian to the hospital around 1 a.m. on Dec. 27 - the day after the tsunami hit - accompanied by another boy about 8 years old. By late morning, all three left.
``We cannot confirm that this boy is really Kristian Walker; we can only say that he seems to be the boy described by his grandfather and media reports,'' Yongyuth said.
While he acknowledged that his son may have already been taken out of Thailand, Dan Walker said he has urged Thai authorities to send Kristian's picture to all border patrols and airports to help prevent him from leaving the country.
The Swedish tabloid Expressen and other media reported on their Web sites or in Tuesday's editions that police were searching for Kristian amid fears he was kidnapped. Expressen said the boy was accompanied at a hospital by a man described by employees as ``European looking, with a moustache and red shirt.''
In the wake of the devastating tsunami, there have been unconfirmed reports of dozens of orphaned children being taken by unidentified people, some of them possibly child traffickers.
Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said Tuesday the Thai government was working closely with hospitals to prevent human trafficking gangs from taking advantage of the situation, although he stressed that there was no firm indication that they were.
Asked about the possible exploitation of children, U.N. refugee chief Ruud Lubbers told CNN: ``We are prepared for this ill behavior. ... We are cautious.''
This week, the Swedish branch of Save the Children, or Raedda Barnen, warned governments in south Asia to be mindful of children left orphaned or without families in the disaster, saying they could be potential targets for pedophiles.
``The experience from other catastrophes is that children are particularly vulnerable,'' said Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, managing director of the agency.
Dan Walker said he was fearful that his son may have fallen prey to pedophiles that have been known to gather in Thailand, or child trafficking rings, but he was not sure.
``I can only guess, and you can only guess, what has happened to him,'' Walker told The Associated Press.
Thai Police Lt. Col. Preecha Kraewthanong said they were checking border points to see whether the boy and the man had left.
``We are looking for him to be sure whether he kidnapped the boy or not and the boy was really Kristian Walker or not,'' he said.
Kristian's father said two doctors at the hospital identified his son from photographs that were shown to them by Daniel Walker last week.
Both men had gone to Phuket after the tsunami to search for their family, which was on vacation with Dan Walker's estranged wife, Madeleine, who is still missing. Dan Walker's two other children, David, 14, and Anna, 7, were found and are back home in Sweden with him.
Daniel Walker, a trained paramedic and former U.S. Marine, has remained in Thailand to search for his grandson.
While Kristian's name does not appear in any hospital records, Dan Walker said his father is convinced hospital officials are correct.
``To me, that's enough to keep searching,'' he said.
Dan Walker said Kristian speaks English but it was unclear whether the boy in the hospital had talked to the man he left with. If Kristian did leave willingly with another man, he must have won his trust, Dan Walker said.
``I assume that he wasn't drugged or in a state of shock,'' he said.
Associated Press reporter Sutin Wannabovorn in Bangkok, Thailand, contributed to this report.
01/04/05 14:55
? Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press."
The Tuesday, Dec. 28th Statesman Journal reports on Monday's plea by Mr. Billera.
"Teacher pleads guilty to sex charges
Joe Billera would faces as many as 12 years in a plea deal
STATESMAN JOURNAL
Joe Billera appears in court Monday.
TRACY LOEW and DENNIS THOMPSON
Statesman Journal
December 28, 2004
Houck Middle School band teacher Joe Billera pleaded guilty Monday to 10 of 15 sex-related charges involving four former students.
Billera hopes to get a reduced sentence of six to 12 years, based on a pretrial conference with Judge Albin Norblad.
Deputy District Attorney Darin Tweedt said he would try to persuade the judge to impose a longer sentence. If the judge agrees, Billera could choose to change his plea and request a trial.
The statutory maximum for the crimes is 53 years.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 19, although Tweedt said the date probably would be pushed back.
Billera, 30, was arrested at Houck on Oct. 29 after a former student filed a complaint. An investigation resulted in further charges -- 15 in all. He has remained in the Marion County jail without bail.
Billera pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree rape, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, three counts of second-degree sodomy and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor.
The last charge is in relation to an incident in which Billera allowed his son, who was younger than 5, to witness a sexual act.
He also had been charged with one additional count of first-degree sexual abuse, two additional counts of second-degree sexual abuse; and two additional counts of second-degree sodomy. Under the plea agreement, those charges would be dropped and no additional charges could be made in connection with the four named victims.
The courtroom was packed with students and parents.
Billera did not look at those in attendance. He answered clearly, "Yes sir," as Judge Robert C. Cannon described each of the offenses and asked whether Billera had committed them.
"He was pretty resigned to his fate," Tweedt said outside the courtroom. "This is his choice, to move quickly. Otherwise, this would be a much lengthier process."
Tweedt said that Billera has agreed to undergo a psychological evaluation before sentencing.
Billera's attorney, Paul Ferder, said Billera accepted the plea deal in part to protect the victims, two of whom he still cares for deeply.
"He's a very accomplished musician and teacher," Ferder said. "Unfortunately, he developed friendships with the students he taught. Sometimes when you develop friendships, the line gets a little bit blurry. Some people have a tendency to cross over that line."
Ferder said he hopes to convince the judge that Billera can be rehabilitated.
"It's destroyed his marriage. It's destroyed his career," Ferder said. "I hope that parents can forgive what he's done."
Jean Scott, a former teacher and friend of Billera, said she was "very disappointed."
"We're sad for Joe and his family," Scott said, her voice cracking. "We're hoping he can get some kind of counseling or support to help him through this problem."
Scott said she had seen absolutely no warning signs that Billera might be capable of such acts.
"The only reason I can believe it now is that Joe has admitted to it," she said.
Billera is married and has taught in the Salem-Keizer School District for eight years. He also assisted with the bands at North Salem and McNary high schools.
He remains on paid leave, said Joe Weiss, the district's human resources director. Weiss said termination proceedings will begin after Billera is sentenced, unless he chooses to resign before then.
"We're hoping to have it resolved within the next 10 days," Weiss said.
tloew@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6779"
The Wednesday, December 22nd 2004 edition of the Statesman Journal reports of an adoptive father who is charged with six counts of first-degree sodomy, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct:
"Romanian community unites to help boy
Churches bring gifts to 9-year-old who may have been abused
LORI CAIN | STATESMAN JOURNAL
Sisters Fibia Ursu (left) and Otilia Ursu of the Philadelphia Romanian Assembly of God Church as well as people from other Romanian churches and organizations drop off gifts Tuesday at the Oregon Human Services building for a boy who may have been abused.
DENNIS THOMPSON
Statesman Journal
December 22, 2004
The Portland-area Romanian community came to Salem bearing gifts Tuesday.
The goal: to ease the suffering of a 9-year-old Romanian boy whose adoptive father stands accused of molesting him during a four-year period.
A group of about 20 people delivered more than 25 gifts to the Summer Street offices of the Oregon Department of Human Services, which has placed the child in foster care.
"Working with kids, I love their innocence," said Damaris Cinpean, 19, who leads a Sunday School group that created a poster-size Christmas card for the boy. "Knowing someone took that away from the little boy, it breaks my heart."
The boy was adopted from a Romanian orphanage by Silverton man William Delos Peckenpaugh, 37, who is charged with six counts of first-degree sodomy, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct.
Peckenpaugh was arrested after a sexually graphic video allegedly of himself and the boy was found in a camera that had been returned to Fry's Electronics in Wilsonville. He is being held in the Marion County jail, awaiting trial.
The case resonated within the Romanian community because the United States is seen as a land of hope for many in Romania, said Vasile Cinpean, a pastor assistant at the Philadelphia Romanian Assembly of God in Portland. An estimated 25,000 Romanians live in the Portland-Vancouver, Wash., area.
"There are so many children in need in Romania," Cinpean said. "When they have a chance to be adopted by someone in America, it's seen as a great opportunity. This is a tragedy."
Four Romanian churches led the effort to purchase gifts for the boy, said Bogdan Grigore, an editor with the Romanian Times, a biweekly Portland-area newspaper.
"This thing kind of gathered together the churches to act as a community," Grigore said.
The family of Monica Remchek, 18, purchased a Bible and a Game Boy for the boy.
"I just hope he likes it," Remchek said. "I pray a lot for him. We're all really angry with the situation. It shouldn't happen to anyone."
Fibia Ursu, 17, and her sister purchased an Incredibles coloring book and crayons for the boy.
"We figured everyone would get him toys, so we wanted to do something different," she said. "We also bought him blowing bubbles."
Jim Rudd, a Portland businessman who serves as an honorary Romanian consul, helped coordinate the gift drop-off with state officials.
The group hopes that the boy eventually will be placed with a Romanian family in Portland.
"We think that would be a benefit for the child, to have someone around him who speaks Romanian," said Mircea Lubanovici, another Romanian Times editor.
State officials predicted that the unexpected generosity will make a tremendous difference in the boy's Christmas.
"I am just overwhelmed with the love and support," said Michelle Felton, an ombudsman with the children's advocacy office. "I don't know what to say. It's quite amazing."
dmthomps@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6719"
The Wednesday, December 22nd 2004 newspaper reports on an arrest of a Woodburn, Oregon schoolteacher accused of sexual misconduct towards a young girl:
"Teacher charged with sexual abuse
Woodburn instructor allegedly touched an 11-year-old girl
JODY LAWRENCE-TURNER
Statesman Journal
December 22, 2004
Police arrested a Woodburn School District teacher Tuesday in Salem on a charge of first-degree sex abuse stemming from an alleged incident almost three years ago involving an 11-year-old girl.
Mark Haevers, 54, of Salem was lodged in the Marion County jail with bail set at $40,000. He is accused of inappropriately touching the girl at his Salem home Feb. 14, 2002, Salem police Lt. Jim Anglemier said.
The girl, who was 11 at the time, was not a student at Lincoln Elementary School in Woodburn, where Haevers teaches fifth grade. Police described her as an acquaintance of Haevers.
Anglemier said that the alleged incident was reported to police and that an investigation was launched the same day. Charges, however, were not pursued because of insufficient evidence.
Haevers was arrested shortly after noon Tuesday based on new information stemming from the initial investigation. Anglemier said that he would not elaborate on the new information because detectives were continuing to investigate.
Woodburn School District Superintendent Walt Blomberg, reached at his home Tuesday night, said that he was not aware of Haevers? arrest or the charges against him.
Classes were not in session in Woodburn because of the winter break.
Haevers has been a teacher in the Woodburn School District for more than 10 years.
Blomberg said he didn?t have a statement regarding Haevers because he would have to look into the accusations first.
Blomberg said that no Woodburn School District teacher has been charged with a sex-related crime in the past five years.
jturner@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6721"
As Mr. Billera was to appear in court on Tuesday, Dec. 21st to officially change his plea from innocent, but the local newspaper has not printed a record of that action, the following is pasted from the marion county full inmate roster on Dec. 23rd, 2004:
C1/102 BILLERA, JOSEPH THOMAS TSID: 24102904 LODGED
Lodged: 10/29/2004 19:08 Max: DoB: 06/28/1974
Arrest: SMP Type: PROBABL Docket: 04C52710 Hold Auth: MARION
Charge Bail Status Next Court Release
1 SEX AB I NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
2 SEX AB I NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
3 SODO II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
4 SODO II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
5 SODO II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
6 SODO II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
7 RAPE II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
8 RAPE II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
9 RAPE II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
10 SODO II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
11 ENDAN MIN NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
12 SEX AB II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
13 SEX AB II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
14 SEX AB II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
15 SEX AB II NO BAIL PRETRIA01/19/2005 09:00 CIRCUI
The December 18th, 2004 Statesman Journal Newspaper reveals that Mr. Billera will be changing his plea from innocent in on Tuesday, December 21st. The newspaper does not state that Mr. Billera is changing the plea to guilty.
"A Houck Middle School band teacher facing multiple sex-related charges is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for a change of plea.
Joseph Billera, 30, is charged with second-degree rape, first- and second-degree sex abuse, second-degree sodomy and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor in connection with four former students.
He pleaded innocent to all charges at his arraignment Nov. 12. His court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at Marion County Circuit Court."
-- Jody Lawrence-Turner
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