Former Tulsa Administrator Accused Of Molestation Appears In Court

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- A former Tulsa school administrator who's accused of molesting four boys was in court Monday. Robert Yerton's preliminary hearing got started, but didn't finish.

Yerton's attorney tried to get first the prosecutor and then the judge thrown off this case. Both attempts were unsuccessful and the court only heard the complete testimony of one witness.

Robert Yerton walked into the Tulsa County Courthouse hoping to prove there isn't enough evidence for the case against him to go forward. Yerton was arrested back in May, after allegations surfaced that he molested a young boy in his office at Skelly Elementary school.

6/29/2010  Related Story: Tulsa School Board Accepts Accused Skelly Administrator's Resignation

What started as one accusation quadrupled in a matter of weeks with four boys coming forward, including a relative who is now 18. That relative took to the witness stand describing a series of incidents over six years, where he claimed he was molested by Yerton.

He told the court that the abuse started when he was eleven years old. He claimed that he'd just joined the wrestling team and Yerton grasped his genitals, under the pretense of trying to fit him for an athletic cup. The 18-year-old said Yerton would enter the bathroom while he was showering and look at him naked. He also described waking up to find Yerton sitting in bed with him, touching the boy's genitals.

The defense attorney, Richard O'Carroll, questioned why the teenager had never mentioned the alleged abuse to anyone before this case. O'Carroll pointed out the teenager filed a protective order against Yerton but never mentioned any abuse.

And the teenager admitted he initially lied to investigators. He said he didn't tell anyone because he was uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Another witness did take the stand Monday, a forensic interviewer who talked to the seven-year-old child who claimed Yerton molested him. But that testimony was suspended for two weeks.