FAST FACTS:
(Southaven, MS11/12/2009) Several days after being accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student, 22-year-old Desoto Central Teacher Tyler Bigham still isn't responding to our knocks on his door to talk about his case, but his neighbors are talking.
Josh Foster lives a few doors down from Bigham's home. He's a father who says the school did the right thing by suspending Bigham.
Foster said, "I hate that he's living a few doors down from me. We have a little girl who lives here. I have to look out for that kind of thing."
Southaven officers say they found the assistant band director with a student in a back parking lot at Snowden Grove Park Monday night. He's charged with sexual battery.
Bigham has hired well known attorney Steve Farese as his attorney. He describes Bigham as a quiet, smart, good kid who will enter a not guilty plea.
Farese said, "He is certainly devastated with the charges. He's embarrassed. He's humiliated and will likely lose his job just over the allegations."
Bigham has been suspended from his job while the matter is under investigation. But the reason Bigham was arrested isn't not because of the girl's age, but because Bigham is a teacher in Mississippi.
Farese said, "Anyone charged with an offense such as this, if they're convicted, they're labeled as a sexual predator and the fact of the matter is 50 percent of all men would be sexual predators if they're accused of having a relationship being 22-year-old and the girl is 17-years-old."
Still, some parents like Josh Foster say if the allegations are true that's reason enough for a suspension and an arrest.
Foster said, "You can't have that in a school system. He should be charged with being too close to a school."
Bigham's case has been handed over to the district attorney's office for prosecution
- Desoto County Teacher Hires Well-Known Attorney
- Tyler Bigham Will Enter A Not Guilty Plea
- Attorney Describes Teacher As Smart, Quiet, But Now Humiliated
(Southaven, MS11/12/2009) Several days after being accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student, 22-year-old Desoto Central Teacher Tyler Bigham still isn't responding to our knocks on his door to talk about his case, but his neighbors are talking.
Josh Foster lives a few doors down from Bigham's home. He's a father who says the school did the right thing by suspending Bigham.
Foster said, "I hate that he's living a few doors down from me. We have a little girl who lives here. I have to look out for that kind of thing."
Southaven officers say they found the assistant band director with a student in a back parking lot at Snowden Grove Park Monday night. He's charged with sexual battery.
Bigham has hired well known attorney Steve Farese as his attorney. He describes Bigham as a quiet, smart, good kid who will enter a not guilty plea.
Farese said, "He is certainly devastated with the charges. He's embarrassed. He's humiliated and will likely lose his job just over the allegations."
Bigham has been suspended from his job while the matter is under investigation. But the reason Bigham was arrested isn't not because of the girl's age, but because Bigham is a teacher in Mississippi.
Farese said, "Anyone charged with an offense such as this, if they're convicted, they're labeled as a sexual predator and the fact of the matter is 50 percent of all men would be sexual predators if they're accused of having a relationship being 22-year-old and the girl is 17-years-old."
Still, some parents like Josh Foster say if the allegations are true that's reason enough for a suspension and an arrest.
Foster said, "You can't have that in a school system. He should be charged with being too close to a school."
Bigham's case has been handed over to the district attorney's office for prosecution
