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GoogleTracy Hinson, 39, of Newbern, was placed on supervised probation for a year, forbidden to contact the victim and ordered to pay $1,212.50 in court costs and a $35 monthly supervision fee.
She pleaded nolo contendre, or no contest, to the charge on Aug. 26. She was placed on judicial diversion for two years.
Then, in October, she asked that the plea be put aside. She said she did not realize at the time of her plea that she would have to register with the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry. If she registered, she would not have been allowed to travel outside the state with her children, who sometimes play in out-of-state sports competitions.
Hinson will not be required to register as a sex offender during pretrial diversion. If she complies with all of the diversion requirements, she may ask the court to expunge her court record.
Hinson had been accused of having a sexual relationship with a male student between the ages of 13 and 18 during January 2008. Hinson was at least 10 years older than the boy, an age difference that elevated the charge to "aggravated" statutory rape.
Hinson ended her 15-year career as a Lake County High School science teacher and cheerleading coach when she resigned in May 2008.
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Wow, a year's worth of probation for aggravated statutory rape! I wonder if she received a free Vegas vacation with that offer? Better be good Tracy, you only get one get out of jail free card.
What has happened to the morals of our court system when it comes to our children?
This is Lake Co, come on there is always another "get out of jail free card". It isn't right, but it happens. It sickens me to know that this woman was teaching our children and in a year she will be "free" to teach again. Just wipe her slate clean, and put children in danger of being "abused" by a teacher yet again. Way to go justice system!!
I'm actually very glad to hear this ended as it has. I don't think the DA could have legitimately secured a conviction so this pretrial thing was best. These rumors have been going around for years just like they do at every high school with a young attractive teacher or coach. I personally don't think she had sex with the student so a year's probation for the text messaging part seems appropriate to me. From what I heard, the DA even spoke highly of her in court. He knew that he would have to do things less than ethically to convict her so he settled for what he could get. Nobody needs to think she got a get out of jail free card here. Four years of college are down the drain because she'll never be able to teach again so she's lost her livelihood. Her kids have suffered terribly. I'm sure her marriage has been shaken. She endured tremendous public ridicule and embarrassment. And for what? A young punk with a drug problem who had been living with his 26 year old girlfriend. He'll end up in jail before Tracy Hinson ever sees the inside of one.
Reply to LC_graduate
That's what Bill Clinton said about Monica but we all know it makes no difference if it was oral sex , it's still sex!
Ms. Hinson, may you always be known by your nickname around the school: Best Teacher Ever.
Here we go again.....Why can't people understand that it doesn't matter what the child has done or not done.....his age and her being an adult and an authority figure is what makes this wrong. I'm sure her kids have suffered. Tracy is the one who should have considered them.
I am not agreeing with the actions of Tracy at all. But if the people of LC think that she is the only teacher that we have problems with, then they are in a state of denial or have been living in a hole! Many of our teachers are partying more than all our teenagers combined. If you need proof just take a look at My Space or Facebook pages. They can be seen in bars with alcoholic beverages of choice toasting it up for anyone to see. What happened to teachers that lived lives that were worthy of respect like our teachers did! As a parent I have a problem encouraging my children to respect these individuals when they obviously do not respect themselves. LC school system needs a major rehauling or Im afraid we haven't seen anything yet!
he was not the only one she was doing,. also many married men and her friends husbands also...and the assistant pric and some school board members older ones. been going on so long.. what can her husband possibly think,,, i have to say he has to be one fine man to stand by his wife after all she has done to many families.. i hope she is happy with herself... she hurt many. she knows she is guilty... she will have to live with it.. i pray for her and i also pray for the guy and the other students that she had in the past.
VIewpoints from all directions today. Half of you are wrong but which half?
Ms. Hinson, may you always be known by your nickname around the school: Best Teacher Ever.
-- Posted by ExPatDyerburgian on Thu, Jun 25, 2009, at 6:51 PM
I think that should read " Best Teacher I ever "Had"!
She WAS the teacher, and he was a student. No one said he hasn't made mistakes, but she was in the wrong here. And it wasn't just him. As for the teachers of LC, why shouldn't they get to have a life outside of school. If they want to drink or party isn't it their business. I totally agree that the teachers shouldn't be socializing with the students, but if an adult wants to have a good time, why should it matter if they are a teacher.
If the teacher had been a male...?
LC_graduate, if the DA did speak highly of Tracy, it is because they attend the same church. Tracy really got off easier than she should had. He was not the only boy she had sexual relations with. She was caught by a male parent in bed with his son. In the boy's bedroom. That father should have said something, instead of "way to go son". Tracy wasn't thinking about her children, when she was having sexual relations with other children. She should have had a harder punishment. Parents, watch your young sons. She'll be on the prowl again. She got away with it before, so she'll know that she will get away with it again.
Tracy got an "incomplete sentence". Justice is situational.
If this were a male teacher the outcome would be completely different. A male would have to register as a sex offender, and the crime would NOT be expunged from their record. This double standard needs to end. Any adult having sex or molesting a child should go to prison. Their crimes should be shouted from the rooftops for all to hear. Just because they may not "look or act" like children, does not excuse anyone.
According to the article, Tracy Hinson has children of her own. Would she want the courts to be as lenient if it were her child? I think not.
That's my point. Justice is situational with a double standard for males and females. Maybe we ought to call our judicial system "Injustice".
I read the comment saying something about "Lake County here we go again" Let me stop you and say the weak DA is from Dyer County & the rapist teacher is also from Dyer County. Not Lake County! Oh yeh, even the asst. principal was from where? DYER CO. If this was a man and Tracey Hinson's little girl when she was 17 Tracey would be begging the DA to protect her kid. Let make a deal Phil went way out on a limb for this fellow church goer. By the way, Tracey pled guilty to penatration by a minor shortly after being arrested. You can't be penetrated by test messages. Michael Vick got more time over a dog than this teacher did over a student. Another case of who you know or who you do. A DYER COUNTY PROBLEM TOO!!!!!!!!!!
how about we give tracy and her family a break and move on ^j^
Maybe it would be more appropriate for Tracy to move on and give us a break.
Tracy should move somewhere else and start over. She is a disgrace to all excellent teachers, that set a good example for the young children. Her family and friends should forgive her, but she may never change.
Why would Tracy need to "move on"? She hasn't been seeking to be on the front page. She's been living her life and raising her children waiting on the DA in Lake County to figure out that he can't get her on anything serious and settle this thing. She's been quietly waiting for over a year for resolution! She wasn't writing letters to the editor or doing interviews trying to trash anyone or even defend herself. She waited for the DA to do his job so that she can live her life without this hanging over her. You all need to remember that she nor her attorney requested this sentence... they only took what was offered to them by the DA. I know you all call him weak but I call him wise- he doesn't waste tax payer money trying to prosecute people of crimes he can't get a conviction on.
I don't know the people involved in this case,but I would like to know where this young mans Mother is at.And what her opinion is on this new "punishment" the CHILD RAPIST has recieved.I know if this had been one of my sons the charge I would have gotten is MURDER.
Her reputation in west tennessee is ruined...everyone deserves a second chance though if they are truly sorry...You wonder how many times it went on b4 she got caught...Her best move might be to start over else where.....She will never get treated the same...
Harleylady- this young man's mother was aware her son was on drugs and was allowing him to live with his 26 yr old girlfriend so she is obviously not mom of the year. I heard the reason this all came out was because the boy got kicked out of school so the mom went to the school and used her knowledge of the supposed sex between the teacher and boy as leverage to get him back into school. Can you imagine knowing your child was allegedly having sex with a teacher and not doing anything about it until it benefited you?
LC_graduate it sounds like this child had three strikes against him. Mama,26 year old girlfriend and Teacher.I can not even imagine.And people wonder what's wrong with our youth (It may just be from the adults)!!!!!!!!!!!
It truly sickens me to read some of the posts that blame the young man. This is the reason most victims do NOT come forward after a crime was commited against them.
Almost all teenage boys have raging hormones. How dare this woman (and I use that term loosely)take advantage of that. I agree that this young man did not have one positive female in his life. His perception of women will be that they are unreliable and manipulators, espically women of authority.
I agree with Harleylady's previous post...if this woman would have done that to MY son...I would be doing time for murder.
Tracy pled "no contest" to the charges. When you plead no contest...you are not admitting guilt, but you are not fighting the allegations either. If she is innocent, why is she not fighting tooth and nail to clear her name? If you are innocent, that plea makes no sense to me.
hey_just_my_opinion .....I totally agree with your comments.
I apologize folks, in my previous post I stated that Ms Hinson had pleaded no contest...that was the first time around. When she realized she would have to register as a sex offender, she asked for, and was granted a pretrial diversion.
Pretrial diversion is a program for certain first offenders. It gives them a second chance to avoid being marked by a felony conviction for the rest of their lives.
When a person accepts the offer of pretrial diversion, they enter a plea of guilty to the criminal offense they have been accused of...in Ms Hinson's case, aggravated statutory rape of a minor. The judge will not enter an order adjudicating the guilt of that person (criminal). The judge withholds the ruling of guilty for a certain time period, in this case one year. The defendant, Ms Hinson, will have certain restrictions she will have to comply with, similar to being on probation. Once she complies with the terms and conditions of the pretrial diversion agreement, the charges are dismissed and she is not convicted of the crime she pleaded guilty to.
What I am trying to get across to some of the people posting here is this: Ms Hinson entered a GUILTY plea to aggravated statutory rape of that child. And yes, she did receive a GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD!
I can answer the question of why she didnt fight this quite simply. It would likely take years for this to go to trial and be fought through. It took over a year for it to get to this point. Every day she has a lawyer, she's paying for it out of her pocket. She doesn't have a public defender so it was costing her personally. Do you think she trusts at all that she could get a fair trial in Lake County? I'm so grateful to not live there anymore because it is a messed up backwater redneck place. Also if it goes to trial then her children get dragged through the process all along the way. Not to mention the strain on her marriage. I understand her husband owns a business- do you really think they need that kind of negative junk when she's already lost her ability to work in her chosen profession? You people are showing your ignorance of the law here. Innocent people take pretrial diversion all the time because it is truly the least of the evil possibilities.
Read the third paragraph. She pleaded no contest and was placed on judicial diversion. Judicial Diversion permits disposition of misdemeanors and certain felonies to include probation with the possibility of dismissal and expungement if the defendant successfully complies with the terms of probation. When she realized she would have to register as a sex offender, SHE asked that the plea be set aside.
I understand why I am worked up about this...I happen to be a mother. But you LC_graduate, why are you letting yourself get worked up? You have gone so far as to call others ignorant. That is, after you call the area you received your education in a "backwater redneck place" I find it comical that you allowed yourself to stoop so low.
Ms Hinson plead guilty to aggravated statutory rape. Of all the crimes to plead guilty to just to keep from going to trial, this is one of the most henious and I have a hard time believing that this was the only way for her to go IF she is innocent. But hey, that's just my opinion.
I am a gradute of LC- that does not mean that I receive much if any education there. I thankfully only lived there a short time. I also am a parent so I certainly understand that. I am however a former student of Mrs. Hinson and find this entire situation ridiculous. I don't believe for an instant she's done what she's accused of. She got railroaded.
I commend you for standing by your former teacher.
Although you do not believe she did what she has been accused of, the fact still remains...she pled guilty to what she has been accused of. By agreeing to a pretrial diversion, she pled guilty.
On a personal note, parent to parent, would you ever plead guilty to an accusation of aggravated statutory rape if you did not commit the crime? I wouldn't. I would spend every penny I owned, and spend every waking hour of my life fighting a charge as henious as that.
I have to agree with hey_just_my_opinion,If I were the Teacher (nicest name I could call her),there is no way that I would have pled guilty to such a charge if I were innocent.I would fight with every ounce of life in my body for my innocence.But as I stated before if it had been my child,I guess I would have been the front page news.
The only problem i see with all this is, once her time is up and she has obey the rules they have set for her, I just wonder if she moves to another state and starts teaching again WHO WILL BE NEXT?
If so we can thank our so call DA, by the way thanks in advance for your hard work, NOT!
I am a gradute of LC- that does not mean that I receive much if any education there. I thankfully only lived there a short time. I also am a parent so I certainly understand that. I am however a former student of Mrs. Hinson and find this entire situation ridiculous. I don't believe for an instant she's done what she's accused of. She got railroaded.
-- Posted by LC_graduate on Mon, Jun 29, 2009, at 12:35 PM
You have got to be the most naive uninformed individual that I have ever seen post on the Gazette! Tracy is guilty of this boy toy perversion as well as many others who have had the "pleasure" of having "had" her as their so called teacher.
and my teacher said that 15 or 16 would not go into 39, i guess it does!
I beleive Tracy must be worn out if she,s guilty of all these statements posted. Guilty or not she got off easy!
THIS IS WHY THE WORLD IS SO SCREWED UP. LAWYERS, AND POLITICIANS, LOOPHOLES, AND LIARS , ITS NOT AN EQUAL SYSTEM, ITS LIKE DYER COUNTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAVORS AND FRIENDS DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU BLOW ... UH KNOW.IF IT HAD BEEN A MALE TEACHER HE WOULD BE DOING HARD TIME, REGISTERED AS A SEX OFFENDER ,AND THAT WOULD BE UNDER SUSPICION ONLY .JUSTICE IS BLIND IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN YOUR CORNER OR LOTS OF CASH .EXPUNGE HER IF YOU MUST HER REPUTATION WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW HER HERE.PEOPLE WILL POINT HER OUT IN THE STORES AND RESTARAUNTS AND SAY THERE SHE IS "HIDE YOUR UNDER AGE SONS ".
Not only hide your young sons, but watch your husbands.....she prefers fathers of her students, fathers of her cheerleaders, school board members, fellow teachers, vice principals, principals, coaches....the list goes on........
I don't understand the legal matters, but, in my opinion, if you are guilty of sex with a minor, that crime should not be removed from your record, diversion or not. I'm sorry, but if someone (especially a teacher!) sexually molests my underage son, and then they are forgiven by "the system" just because they have no further violations while on probation, I am going to be one ticked off parent. You cannot erase the effect of molestation, and it should have to haunt her like it haunts other people who are victims of this horrible crime.
What has happened to our morals! I can't belive their are people who are actually ok with our teachers partying & drinking. Would you want your preacher to party & live it up except on Sunday. I would hope not! Their are certain professions that demand respect & teachers are one of them. If you don't want to live the lifestyle CHOOSE another profession!