By Tiffany Ray and Marie Leech
The Birmingham News
April 18, 2009
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/04/huffman_band_director_arrested.html
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| Patrick Jerome Whitehead |
Huffman High School's band director was arrested today and charged with sexual abuse by force and sodomy.
Patrick Jerome Whitehead of Pinson, who is also minister of music at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, was taken to the Jefferson County Jail this afternoon and released about 6 p.m. after posting $75,000 bond, according to jail records. ¶
Birmingham school board member Virginia Volker confirmed the case involves a Huffman student. Interim Superintendent Barbara Allen signed the paperwork today to put Whitehead on leave immediately, Volker said.
"We are deeply saddened by the allegation against our minister of music, Patrick Whitehead," Rev. Arthur Price Jr., pastor of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, said tonight. "Mr. Whitehead has been a very valuable asset to our church family, and we are devastated by this situation. We are not quick to rush to judgment, but we are committed to praying for him and his family and all parties involved as we anticipate a just resolution to the matter through our legal system."
Whitehead has worked at Huffman High since at least 2002, according to previous News articles.
In a 2001 interview, Whitehead said he had worked at North Roebuck Elementary and as pool manager during the summers at Woodward Park in West End.
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