Ringgold teacher molestation trial featured on NBC's 'Today' show
Apr 29, 2010 | 1352 views | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
NBC's "Today" show this morning featured the Ringgold trial of a teacher who is facing charges of child molestation. Trial proceedings enter their 14th day today.

The report featured a taped interview with Tonya Craft, who was arrested in June 2008 and is facing 22 counts, including 10 counts of child molestation, six counts of aggravated sexual battery and six counts of aggravated child molestation.

Click here to see the 'Today' segment

Craft, 37, was fired from Chickamauga Elementary School. She has maintained her innocence since her arrest.

Craft continued to insist that she was innocent on the TV segment.

"How can this happen? How can I go from being a mother and a teacher to having a mug shot on television for something I did not do?" she asked interviewers.

"This kind of situation, it could happen to anyone," Craft also said. "It can happen to anybody at any time and all there has to be is an accusation and that's it. You're stripped of your rights and your home."

Host Matt Lauer turned to legal analyst Dan Abrams to discuss prosecution and defense strategies and tactics.

Lauer describe the trial as one “that has splintered a community."

“So many times you hear attorneys debating the idea of a defendant taking the witness stand on his or her own behalf. In this particular case, is this one of those situations where Tonya Craft may have to take the witness stand?” Lauer asked Abrams.

“She may,” Abrams speculated, “unless things go so badly for the prosecution, she really may.”

Abrams reasoned that jurors might be anticipating hearing from Craft in her own words.

He also said that "both sides have to be very, very careful because no one wants to be in the position of suggesting that the child is doing anything wrong."

Kevin Myrick and Matt Ledger contributed to this report

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