A federal judge is deciding if lawyers can be banned from talking about certain aspects of a lawsuit against a former Eagle Point teacher. That teacher is accused of child molestation.
Jackson County School District 9, is asking federal courts for a protective order against attorney Tom Petersen and his lawfirm Black, Chapman, Webber, and Stevens.
The District says his past comments to the media will impact the upcoming trial.
Today no one is talking.
A hearing was held at Federal Court today in which the Eagle Point School District is asking for a protective order against attorney Tom Petersen. He is representing two children in a case where a former Eagle Point teacher and counselor Joel Heller allegedly sexually abused them.
In a previous interview, Petersen indicated other victims were still coming forward… four months after the lawsuit was filed.
“Those complaints were not investigated,” says Petersen, ” and were dismissed out of hand and the children were made to blame for spreading what they called gossip.”
The District is concerned those comments prevent finding an untainted jury in all of Southern Oregon and will affect their defense witnesses at trial in ten months.
They also believe he revealed private complaints to the media. During the hearing, Petersen countered that that information was public record.
The judge at today’s hearing has not yet decided whether to grant or dismiss the District’s request.
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