MIICHIGAN EDUCATOR CONVICTED OF MOLESTING 3-YR-OLD

Former CAU Headstart Dir. Julius Anthony Guilty of Fondling Student in His Care

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces the conviction this afternoon of Julius Bernard Anthony on one count of child molestation. The Superior Court jury found the 42-year-old veteran educator guilty of the September 1996 molestation of a 3-year-old boy who was in the Whittaker Head Start Program he oversaw. The boy, who is now a 15-year-old high school 10th grader, testified at the trial that he did not remember the incident. But the State introduced into evidence the videotape of the boy’s outcry 11 years ago and the testimony of two of the child’s teachers and a school social worker who all corroborated his taped testimony.

In arguing for the stiffest sentence possible, Senior Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Esmond Adams told Judge John Goger this defendant “has continued to work in an educational setting in and around young children in Ohio, New York and Michigan. The defendant had 11 years to accept responsibility for his actions and spare the child this recollection. Since he failed to show the victim mercy, the Court should not show him any.”

Conviction on the charge carries a 5-to-20 year prison term. Judge Goger deferred imposing sentence until he receives a pre-sentencing report on the defendant, who was immediately taken into custody.

The Fulton DA’s office indicted the case in September 1996. The case appeared resolved when court documents showed the defendant had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery. However, when the defendant learned in September 2006 that a background check conducted by the teachers’ union in Flint, Michigan revealed the guilty plea, he petitioned the court to have it withdrawn, claiming he had not given his defense attorney permission to sign his name to the plea agreement. Anthony had been hired provisionally as a Flint School District administrator. The Court granted the defendant’s motion in January 2007 and specially set the case for trial this month.

This case was investigated by retired APD Det. Synthia Bryant, APD Det. Adria Booker-Higgins and former APD Officer Francie Collins-Chambers and Fulton DA Investigators Antoinette Beyah and Kelvin Roberts. Fulton DA Victim-Witness advocate Janel Wheeler assisted the victim and his family.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn, 404.730.6860 (office); 770.597.6963 (cell); lyn.vaughn@co.fulton.ga.us