Charges Withdrawn Against Former Mohawk High School Teacher
NORTH BEAVER TWP. (KDKA) --- Charges against a former Mohawk High School teacher have been withdrawn.
Back in June, Harold Kerr, 67, was charged with 10 counts of corruption of minors.
The alleged victim, a former student, told State police in June that Kerr, a history teacher, engaged in a sexual relationship with her. She said it started when she was 16 and lasted until she graduated from college.
At the time the alleged relationship began, Kerr was 55. The student was 16.
According to the Lawrence County Central Court, charges were dropped against Kerr because the alleged victim did not want to proceed with the case.
KDKA's Marty Griffin spoke to Kerr who said he's vindicated and that the charges against him ruined his name and his family's name.
He says he's ready to get on with his life.
Before the charges were filed, Kerr had a stellar reputation at the high school.
"It destroys it and it destroys a reputation that he built with an entire career of teaching, retired nine years ago, and has had obviously had no blemish throughout his entire career till this accusation," Michael Santicola, Kerr's attorney, said.
The criminal complaint suggested the alleged relationship started when, "The defendant asked her if she would touch him …"
The complaint alleged the relationship became sexual from there.
"His friends, his family, everybody that knows him knows that this wasn't true," Santicola said. "So the people that he cares about the most and the people that care about him the most – they know."
Kerr's attorney is convinced the accuser wanted one thing – money – once she threatened a civil lawsuit.
"The only thing you sue for is money," Santicola said. "There's nothing else you can sue for. So, if you say you're going to sue somebody, assuming you're going to say that, 'We want money.'"
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