Monday's Internet Edition, October 06, 2008.
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| Chris Graham has pleaded not guilty to charges of having an improper relationship between an educator and a student. |
News editor
- Former Copperas Cove boys basketball head coach Christopher Graham will face a pre-trial hearing on Friday at the Coryell County Courthouse in 52nd Judicial District Court.
The hearing is set for 9 a.m.
Graham was indicted on April 22 for an improper relationship between an educator and a student. After waving his right to an arraignment, Graham pleaded not guilty to the second-degree felony charges. He was then arrested on April 23 and taken to Coryell County jail where he was immediately released on a $2,500 cash bond.
Graham was the boys varsity basketball head coach for this past school year. His resignation was approved by the school board on April 13.
The indictment states that on or about Feb. 14, Graham intentionally or knowingly engaged in “deviate sexual intercourse” with a student who was enrolled in Copperas Cove High School. The indictment said Graham was performing oral sex on a female student.
A statement released by Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent Dr. Rose Cameron stated that on Feb. 18, allegations of inappropriate contact with a student were reported to the Copperas Cove Independent School District. “The district response was to put Christopher Graham on administrative leave while an investigation was conducted,” Cameron said, “Parents of the student involved were notified; however, due to the subject of the investigation, public information has been limited to protect the information of the student and employee.”
Cameron also said that law enforcement agencies have taken over the investigation.
The charge is a second-degree felony charge, which if convicted, can have a two-year minimum punishment. The maximum penalty will be 20 years as well as fines that can be as high as $10,000.
The felony is under penal code 21-12 which states that an employee of a public or private primary or secondary school commits an offense if the employee engages in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in public or private primary or secondary school at which the employee works and who is not the employee’s spouse.
“The Copperas Cove Police Department initially took the information down on the case, but had no idea where the school was going with it,” Lieutenant Daniel Austin said, “After that it was handed over to the DA’s office.”
Graham, who is married with an infant son, took over the head coaching position when former coach Benny Ward resigned after seven years.
Graham was first named head coach on interim basis, but in March 2003 the interim was dropped from his title.
The Dawgs went 0-10 in district during the 2003-04 season
Currently, Graham is still on payroll with CCISD.
Graham was working at the high school as a mathematics teacher and head basketball coach, a job that pays $34,900 a year plus a $2,000 mathematics stipend and $11,00 in coaching stipends totaling the salary at $48,500 for a 2007 day employment obligation.
He will stay on salary until May 28, when his contract is finished and his resignation is final.
“We have opened the job and are taking applications at this time,” Athletic Director Jack Welch said, “We will be taking applications until the job is filled, meaning there is no closing date. We will be screening those applications in the near future and start interviewing candidates at that time.”
Varsity assistant coach John Avritt is currently serving as the interim head coach of the boys’ varsity team. He has also formally applied for the vacant position.
“Right now John is running the program as if he were the head coach,” Welch said, “He has already been rehired for the next year so he will be at Copperas Cove high in some capacity regardless.”