VALDOSTA — The state rested Wednesday during the second day of trial in the case against Jeremy Albert Bennett, a Sallas Mahone Elementary School teacher charged with sexual battery and child molestation; but not before recordings of the forensic interviews with the alleged victims were shown.

Assistant District Attorney Laura Wood, who is prosecuting the case, presented two videotapes that included individual accounts given by two female students who allege that Bennett touched them inappropriately in the classroom. The tapes were verified by Teresa Thomas of the Children’s Advocacy Center before playing. Thomas was on the witness stand at the time.

During the interviews, conducted by Thomas, the 7-year-old girls were asked to identify various body parts on males and females before pointing out which parts they felt were inappropriate to touch. The first child identified the “t-t,” “boobies,” “weenie” and “booty” as “not okay” places to touch during her interview. The second child identified the “chest,” “bottom,” “don’t know” and “butt” as “not okay” places to touch.

When asked whether anyone had touched them in inappropriate places, both girls identified Bennett as touching them on two or more occasions on or around their “booty” or “butt.” The first child, who is the daughter of Valdosta City Schools Health Director Beth Deloach, mentioned that Bennett rubbed her four to five times within the first three weeks of school. The second child, the daughter of VCS Social Worker Deanna Folsom, said that Bennett patted her “butt” twice and rubbed the skin under her shirt three times. The children were then asked to demonstrate the touches they experienced with dolls.

Wetherington later questioned the credibility of the second child’s account since she described several scenarios in which she was purposely or accidentally touched in inappropriate places by her peers and did not mention Bennett until she was asked a sixth time whether anyone else had touched her in a negative manner.

Sallas Mahone Guidance Counselor Kim Bolton and Valdosta Police Detective Scotty Johns also testified for the prosecution Wednesday. Each gave accounts of the roles they played in Bennett’s investigation.

After the prosecution rested, Wetherington moved that Bennett be acquitted of all counts since he did not believe the prosecution had proven Bennett committed any offenses. The judge denied the motion, but assured Wetherington that he would reconsider one count at the end of the trial.

Defense Opens with Bennett’s Testimony

Jeremy Bennett was the first witness to testify for the defense Wednesday. Wetherington began his interrogation by requesting that Bennett tell the jury about himself. Bennett graduated from Valdosta High School in 1997 and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from Valdosta State University in 2002. He has been a member of Northside Baptist Church for 12 years and has a twin brother, Justin.

When asked to describe a normal school day at Sallas Mahone, Bennett explained that he rarely sat behind his desk and usually walked around or stood in front of the desk as he taught the class. He added that no students were allowed behind his desk, which is where he kept confidential documents and grading tools. This information contradicted the information given by Deloach’s daughter, who said that every time Bennett touched her, it took place behind his desk.

Bennett also mentioned that several teachers would come in an out of the classroom throughout the day.

When asked whether he would ever touch a child inappropriately, Bennett replied, “I would never touch anyone inappropriately.”

Wetherington then asked him whether he ever touched the alleged victims. Bennett’s response was “Never.”

Before taking his seat, Bennett was asked to stand beside the defense table, which was determined to be the same height as the desk in Bennett’s classroom. Deloach’s daughter mentioned that each time Bennett touched her behind his desk, he was standing. Wetherington asked the jury to observe the defendant’s height compared to the height of the table. As Bennett stood, he towered over the table.