Robert Yerton's Preliminary Hearing To Continue Next Week

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- The preliminary hearing for a former Tulsa Public Schools administrator accused of molesting four boys will continue next week.

Robert Yerton, the former Skelly Elementary assistant principal, was back in court Monday morning for his preliminary hearing that had been continued from July 19th.

For Yerton, it's a chance to confront in court the boys who have accused him of molestation. 

One of his main accusers though, is a grown up -- the school's counselor at Skelly Elementary, Martha Mikel. She testified she was "concerned about Mr. Yerton's behavior - the way he was touching boys." 

She said Yerton rubbed little boys on the backs and chest and legs and would sit them on his lap in a dimly lit office. But she testified she didn't actually see Yerton molesting students. 

Yerton's defense attorney Richard O'Carroll thought the day of testimony helped his case.

O'Carroll has a lot of doubts about the testimony of a now 16-year-old boy, who testified he recognized that Yerton had molested him in second grade, only after going through therapy to recall the repressed memories.

The state's prosecutors wouldn't comment on the case that has five separate victims making complaints against Yerton over a period of years and at different schools. 

They have more witnesses planned, from law enforcement to therapists who have worked the case.

The school counselor testified she complained about Yerton to her supervisors, all the way to the superintendent and when no one stopped Yerton, she went to DHS and the police and it wasn't until she called the boy's mother that things started happening. 

That was this past April and since then more victims have come forward. 

This hearing for Yerton isn't done, they'll have more testimony next week.

7/19/2010  Related Story: Former Tulsa Administrator Accused Of Molestation Appears In Court