Spivey free on $50,000 bond
Write a letter to the editor
The former Charlottesville High music teacher indicted on seven felony counts for making sexual contact and verbal sexual propositions to students appeared in Albemarle Circuit Court this morning for a bond hearing. Jonathan Keith Spivey, 47, did not make it to a December 5 bond hearing because he was seeking psychiatric treatment at Martha Jefferson Hospital.
Spivey and his wife, Anita, put up their Lake Monticello home as security for his $50,000 bond. A teacher in city and county schools since 1982, Spivey was not deemed a flight risk by Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman.
However, Chapman was concerned that Spivey have no contact with minor children, including his own, without supervision. Spivey’s attorney, David Franzen, argued that there were no allegations Spivey had acted improperly toward his children, ages 9 and 10, and that the alleged victims were considerably older. Judge Paul Peatross sided with Chapman, and the now-unemployed Spivey, who has been on administrative leave since the allegations first surfaced September 21 and whose resignation is effective December 21, will not be allowed to babysit his kids without another responsible adult present.
As a condition of bond, Spivey, who is also music director at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, is not allowed to contact any of the alleged victims, nor are third parties allowed to contact the youths on his behalf.
Monday 12/11 update: An alleged victim blasts the prosecution for “kid gloves” treatment. NBC29 has the exclusive interview.
While I will believe the defendant’s guilt once a conviction takes place, I do agree on the “kid gloves” treatment that was obviously extended for whatever reason.
In an unrelated false arrest misdemeanor case, 3 Charlottesville police officers were sent to arrest a former deputy sheriff of almost 30 years. The charge was dismissed before the former deputy sheriff had to say one single word in the courtroom, but he was still treated like a common criminal by the Charlottesville Police Department over a simple misdemeanor. Maybe the Chief of Police or Commonwealth Attorney can explain this? Or maybe they can’t. :)
[...] charged with seven counts, Spivey had already pleaded guilty to four to spare the victims from having to testify, his lawyer, [...]