Emma Painter
Posted by Webmaster in Coaches, FE-FV, Hall of Shame, Health/Gym/PE, New Jersey
(10/19/07 – Initial BBT Report)
Emma Painter, 45, of Clayton, New Jersey, a suspended teacher and field hockey coach at Kingsway Regional High School in Woolwich Township, New Jersey has been indicted on charges of witness tampering and official misconduct in connection with an ongoing investigation of sexual assault charges filed against another teacher and coach, Erica Umosella.
Painter is accused of urging the 17-year-old female Kingsway student to recant statements about her alleged relationship with Erica Umosella, who is accused of a sexual relationship with the girl.
The alleged victim was in one of Umosella’s health classes and was a member of the school’s field hockey team.
Painter who continues to receive a $71,318 annual teaching salary while on suspension faces up to 15 years in prison and the loss of her teaching license if convicted of all charges.
Erica Umosella was not rehired by the school for the current year.
12/19/08 – Guilty Verdict
In a non-jury trial, Emma Painter has been found guilty of official misconduct and witness tampering for trying to persuade a 17-year-old female student to recant statements about the girl’s sexual relationship with another teacher.
Painter faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 10 years in prison at sentencing.
Painter remains free on $10,000 bail pending sentencing on February 13.
05/21/09 – Sentencing
Emma Painter has reportedly been sentenced to four years in prison.
Gloucester County Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson who sentenced Painter allowed her to remain free on bail pending appeal.
Reportedly Painter will be eligible for parole after serving two years.
References:
Ex-teacher gets 4 yrs. in colleague’s tryst
(05/21/09)
Gloucester County teacher guilty of pressuring student over sexual affair (12/19/08)
Verdict due in ex-teacher’s tampering case (12/17/08)
Coach denies tamper claim (11/22/08)
Could ID notes, school chief testifies (11/21/08)
Coach faces charge in student’s sex-assault case (10/19/07)
Ex-teacher indicted for tampering (10/19/07)
View All Bad Bad Teacher Coverage of the Case Of: Emma Painter
View All Bad Bad Teacher Coverage of the Case Of: Erica Umosella
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Still free on bail – waiting for the appeal to be ruled on – feels like it will never end !
so is painter serving herr jail sentance now or is she still free on bail?
The girl in question must feel disgusting, not regarding the Emma Painter case–but the Erica Umosella case. Her family must be ashamed to think that their daughter was a poor innocent child. I wonder if she even cares about the huge mess she made-I highly doubt it.
somebody:Well said, I would like to add if Miss Painter had been successful in getting this girl to recant this girl could have been charged with a filing a false police report which makes what she did even more despicable.
There seem to be several inconsistancies with regards to the state’s case against her. Still, not knowing the people or specific facts involved, I can only say that if the state proved its case, then she deserves pretty much everything she gets. What really bothers me, though is that the woman who committed the far more serious crime, the ACTUAL abuse, is out free.
Diane V -
Here we go again with, “oh it was just a little ol’ mistake.” WRONG WRONG WRONG! As a teacher she had a very important responsibility. She was well aware of what was required of her and she blatantly and willfully violated this very basic and important responsibility. Every teacher knows the law in regards to reporting abuse. What she did was WORSE – she used her position of influence to try and cover up a felony. That is not just a simple little “mistake” – that is a premeditated and deliberate commission of a serious crime.
You think that after doing this she should be allowed to keep her job, her benefits and her freedom? Thank goodness the sane and rational world disagrees with you.
I put a blog message on this forum four months ago defending Ms. Painter. Does this mean that someone tampered with my message. UH OH do they only print Emma bashing?
There may have been mistakes made, but they were made by everyone involved with this case. I question motive from all of the people involved.
emma’s mistake is not worthy of losing her job, pension, reputation and most important, her freedom.
DJV
In keeping with site policies as outlined in the “Comments” page the last name of the person purported to have left this comment has been altered to an initial only by the site moderator.
I had ms painter and I must say she was one of my favorite teachers.it makes me sick to read things like she thought she owned the school and nasty.I remember students talking bad about all the teachers because that’s what kids did. it’s always that one teacher that you remember. When I needed extra help with my driving test she helped. I don’t think someone nasty or evil would stay after school on their time to help a student. Some students never gave her a chance because all you knew her as the gay gym teacher. Instead she was a great teacher and nice person. Say what you want and write a bad respond to my post all you want I don’t care nor will it change mind.
I agree KwayAlum03. That woman was pure miserable all the time. The paper made her out to seem like she was a helpless little puppy. Well guess what, this is LIFE, and in life, if you do the crime, then you do the time. And I also like how the students who testified on her behalf were the members of the field hockey team that she favorited. Great, have 4 or 5 students up on the bench pleading her freedom, then get the other 1,000 kids in that school who HATED her up on the stand, and she wouldn’t have standed a chance. Ms. Painter should have just admitted what she had done and took the plea bargin. And for the second time, Ms. Umosella has NOTHING to do with this case. She had already been blasted in the news (as she should of) a week before that all even went down. Whether or not I disagree with what Ms. Umosella did or not, she owned up to it. And if Ms. Painter would have done the same, then this wouldn’t even be happening. She knew the consequences of what she was doing by taking this to trial, there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t go to jail. She tried playing a game, and the game ended up playing her.
I had Miss Painter in high school. Let me tell you, she was by far the meaniest and nastiest person I ever incountered in my life. She felt she could act and treat anyone anyway she saw fit. If you were not an athlete and did not enjoy gym, then she would take it upon herself to go out of her way to be nasty. She was the number one hated teacher. She was disliked by her peers as well. She deserves to go to jail, and to be quite honest I am happy about it. Karma about time it happened to her…
How the hell does she get jail time and the perpetrator of the actual crime gets none? Makes no sense. I understand that there are two seperate crimes, but, one is predicated on the other. I’m at a loss here.
Lawyer: New facts in Painter case
Friday, January 30, 2009
By Pete McCarthy
pmccarthy@sjnewsco.com
A convicted Kingsway Regional High School teacher and coach is seeking a new trial on the grounds that new evidence has surfaced.
The lawyer for Emma Painter filed the motion after uncovering unspecified evidence that could “directly bear on the credibility of witnesses who testified on behalf of the state,” according to paperwork filed in Superior Court, Woodbury.
Attorney Vincent Campo declined to offer up specifics on what he has obtained.
“That will be disclosed at the time the court schedules a hearing on this matter,” said Campo.
The attorney did say he hoped this new information would be enough to give Painter a new trial. The teacher was convicted last month of witness tampering and official misconduct.
Judge Christine Allen-Jackson found Painter knowingly tried to get a student to change her story about allegations made by the teenager concerning a sexual relationship with another teacher.
According to prior testimony, Painter the head field hockey coach and head of the physical education department called the female student to her office for a lengthy meeting after the other teacher was charged. The prosecution contended Painter also left a handful of notes by the student’s locker, encouraging her to tell the truth.
“The verdict in this case was solely predicated upon the credibility of the witnesses,” said Campo. “I submit evidence exists that directly contradicts the veracity of testimony that was given by one and possibly more of the state’s witnesses.”
In addition to the accuser and her close friend, the prosecution also called several district teachers and officials.
This newly discovered evidence, according to the motion, did not exist prior to the December verdict in this case.
Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Bernie Weisenfeld declined to comment on the motion when contacted Thursday, saying his office had not yet received the paperwork.
The other teacher in this case, Erica Umosella, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of misconduct and was sentenced last year to probation.
Umosella was originally charged with aggravated sexual assault, a first-degree offense that carried a maximum 20-year sentence.
Painter, who was offered a similar plea deal, faces up to 10 years in prison when she’s sentenced.
As part of Campo’s motion, he has asked that the judge postpone Painter’s sentencing, which has been scheduled for Feb. 13.
Looks like a turn of events have come into play. Perhaps we may be seeing you in court, eh?