COVINGTON, Ky. – Former Dayton High School teacher Nicole Howell was found innocent Friday of charges she had sex with a 16-year-old male student.
The jury in Kenton Circuit Court returned a verdict of not guilty of sexual assault against the 26-year-old English teacher after deliberating for about an hour and 15 minutes.
Howell's family burst in cheers and applause as Judge Gregory Bartlett read the verdict.
Howell steadfastly maintained her innocence as she testified on her behalf during the trial. She repeatedly denied any sexual contact with the boy, a high school football player. Howell, who was an assistant cheerleading coach, said her relationship with the boy was to be supportive of him and his football exploits and as she did for all of her students, to offer a listening ear to his concerns.
Prosecutors and police built a case against Howell based on accusations by the boy and supported by a log of late night phone calls and some 430 text messages sent between the two over about a two-month period.
