A teacher accused of feeling up two female students will not be charged with any crimes, the Maricopa County Superior Court announced this morning.
However, the County Attorney's Office can still file charges against Thomas Weaver -- evidence permitting, that is.
Jerry Cobb, a spokesman for the MCAO, says his office is waiting for additional information from the Phoenix Police Department before making a final "charging decision on this matter."
However, as
we reported when Weaver was first arrested, the incident seems like a classic case of he said, she said -- with little evidence against Weaver other than the word of his two 12-year-old accusers.
According to court documents obtained by New Times, on October
31, the two girls claim Weaver, a teacher with the Scottsdale Unified School District, approached them in the library at the Arcadia Learning Center and told one of
them he liked her necklace. He then grabbed it -- before copping a quick
(five-second) feel.
He then told the other girl he liked her
necklace, too. Weaver then grabbed her breast, also -- this alleged boob-grab lasted about 30 seconds, according to the girl, that is.
Both girls say a similar incident happened at the beginning of the school year.
The girls also told police that Weaver grabbed a cell phone out of one of the
girls' back pocket. She says it seemed at the time like he was feeling
her up and that it took him "longer than necessary" to remove the phone.
The girls say they always feel uncomfortable around Weaver because he's
"always asking for hugs," and that he looks at them "in a way that a
teacher shouldn't look at a student."
Weaver was booked into jail on two counts of sexual abuse, and one count of
aggravated assault on a minor -- charges, as we mentioned, will not be filed at this time.
Despite the girls' claims, Weaver received an outpouring of support from
former students and friends in the comment section of our initial article about
his arrest, which you can see here.
One commenter says the following:
"There's no way. He's been my teacher and mentor for years, I've known him my entire life. And as a teenage girl, he has never even come close to doing anything remotely inappropriate--ever. I just hope those lying girls come clean, and realize the effect their lie has on his life. It doesn't surprise me that the girls would lie, but this still makes me sick."
Below is another comment in defense of Weaver's character.
"My wife and I have been aquainted with the Weavers for years. Our daughters attended school together, EL thru HI. My daughter has had "sleep overs" at the Weavers many times in the past with absolutely ZERO issues. I don't know the girls who are making the allegations, and I in no way are accusing them of lying. If they are in fact victims, then that is very sad indeed. We ALL want to protect our children, but it is unfortunate that in alleged child molestation cases that the mere accusatiuon of impropriety is enough to put any adult into a "guilty until proven innocent" situation. A sad but true fact."
The Scottsdale Unified School District says Weaver will remain on a paid leave of absence until the school conducts its own investigation.
Jeff Thomas, assistant superintendent for human resources at the SUSD, tells New Times that after the investigation the superintendent will make a decision about whether Weaver will get to keep his job.
