Mother testifies in sexual assault case
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
BY ERINN DESHINSKY
OF THE JOURNAL STAR
PRINCETON - The mother of a 15-year-old boy who claims he had a sexual relationship with his former biology teacher testified Monday the
teacher admitted she told the boy she loved him and the two had kissed.
The mother told Circuit Court Judge Chris H. Ryan Jr. that Gina M. Purvis, 29, told her she loved the boy but only as one loves a son.
Purvis, a former Hall High School teacher, is charged with four counts of criminal sexual assault in Bureau County for allegedly having sexual
relations with a student at her house and at school in the spring of 2004.
Ryan is presiding at her bench trial - a trial before a judge and without a jury - which began Monday.
Bureau County State's Attorney Pat Herrmann alleged the two had sex on multiple occasions, including once in a storage room at the high
school.
Purvis' attorney Steven Glink of Northbrook said Purvis was mentoring the student, who had been getting in trouble at school and with the police.
Glink said the boy started false rumors and was afraid of getting in trouble for lying.
"He lies all the time. He lies when it's convenient," Glink said. "[He] was a troubled kid who got backed into a corner and couldn't get out."
Purvis' husband, Shannon Purvis, said Monday the boy threatened him Nov. 15.
He said the boy called his cell phone asking to talk to his wife. Shannon Purvis refused to let him talk to her and put the call on speaker phone.
The boy then told Shannon Purvis he had just watched the couple walk out of a Farm and Fleet store, and said to Gina Purvis, "Let the rumors
fly. I hope you go to jail."
"Those were his exact words," Shannon Purvis said. "I'll never forget it as long as I live."
Shannon Purvis also testified he and his wife would have students to their house often, and the couple tried to help "the worst kind of kids."
The parents of the boy, who is now 17, testified Purvis had been at their house more than 20 times, and the two were seen at the boy's
residence "acting like two little kids." The mother said she observed Purvis chasing her boy around her car, and they would talk frequently on the
phone.
Both parents said they never complained to the school or police.
The father said he dropped his son off at the Purvis residence twice, because his son said he was going to visit Purvis' niece.
The mother later testified Purvis told her the niece was not at Purvis' house during those visits. She also said Purvis admitted she and the boy
kissed in the storage room connected to her classroom, but that the boy had caught the teacher by surprise.
Former Hall High School superintendent Dan Oest said the boy confirmed rumors about his relationship with Purvis in November, prompting him
to alert the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services and the police.
The defense, however, claimed the boy only told Oest the rumors were true after Oest and Gary Vicini, dean of the high school, promised no one
else would find out and no one would get in trouble.
The defense also showed Oest a report from DCFS stating Oest said he was afraid the boy might have second thoughts and recant his
admission. Oest said Monday he didn't recall why he made that statement.
Testimony is to resume this morning.
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/102505/REG_B7UI5HK3.033.shtml
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Guv'mint
Skoolin'
"DUHMAG.COM"
2005
