NEWS STAFF REPORTER
With Cheektowaga police preparing to discuss what they have characterized as “inappropriate” conversations that occurred between three high school teachers and a jailed murder suspect, an attorney for one teacher is speaking out, calling it a “witchhunt.”
Police are scheduled to meet with reporters this afternoon to talk about the telephone conversations between Dontre Jones and his Cheektowaga Central High School teachers.
“I have some real confusion over why Cheektowaga would be holding a press conference with respect to these teachers,” said attorney Kevin P. Shelby, who’s representing one of the teachers. The Buffalo News is withholding the name of Shelby’s client at this time.
“I don’t get it,” Shelby said this morning. “It seems to be a witch hunt.”
Jones made those calls from behind bars between February 2012 and this past June, while he was awaiting trial for a May 31, 2011, shooting death in Cheektowaga Town Park. He was later convicted.
Cheektowaga police went to the Cheektowaga Central School Board with their information about the calls, resulting in the three teachers being placed on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation by the district. Police have said no laws were broken but called the contact “inappropriate.”
Shelby described his client’s relationship with Jones as “purely teacher-student, together with role model, parent figure. It’s all appropriate,” he said. Their conversations, he said, were “small talk.”
Jones, who originally was charged with second-degree murder, was convicted June 4 of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Ira Watkins Jr., 19, of Buffalo. Though police believe the shooting was related to an earlier confrontation between rival gangs from Buffalo, they’ve said neither was involved in it.
Noting that Jones was convicted of a lesser charge, Shelby said: “I would imagine there’s some sour grapes there.”
email: jhabuda@buffnews.com
With Cheektowaga police preparing to discuss what they have characterized as “inappropriate” conversations that occurred between three high school teachers and a jailed murder suspect, an attorney for one teacher is speaking out, calling it a “witchhunt.”
Police are scheduled to meet with reporters this afternoon to talk about the telephone conversations between Dontre Jones and his Cheektowaga Central High School teachers.
“I have some real confusion over why Cheektowaga would be holding a press conference with respect to these teachers,” said attorney Kevin P. Shelby, who’s representing one of the teachers. The Buffalo News is withholding the name of Shelby’s client at this time.
“I don’t get it,” Shelby said this morning. “It seems to be a witch hunt.”
Jones made those calls from behind bars between February 2012 and this past June, while he was awaiting trial for a May 31, 2011, shooting death in Cheektowaga Town Park. He was later convicted.
Cheektowaga police went to the Cheektowaga Central School Board with their information about the calls, resulting in the three teachers being placed on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation by the district. Police have said no laws were broken but called the contact “inappropriate.”
Shelby described his client’s relationship with Jones as “purely teacher-student, together with role model, parent figure. It’s all appropriate,” he said. Their conversations, he said, were “small talk.”
Jones, who originally was charged with second-degree murder, was convicted June 4 of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Ira Watkins Jr., 19, of Buffalo. Though police believe the shooting was related to an earlier confrontation between rival gangs from Buffalo, they’ve said neither was involved in it.
Noting that Jones was convicted of a lesser charge, Shelby said: “I would imagine there’s some sour grapes there.”
email: jhabuda@buffnews.com
