MISSISSIPPI
Sun Herald
BY ROBIN FITZGERALD
rfitzgerald robincrimenews
September 5, 2014
GULFPORT — A public defender has filed a motion that lists eight reasons why a teacher accused in the molestation of children should be released to his sister’s custody pending court action.
Richard Pryor, suspected of molesting at least 11 boys he taught at Bayou View Junior High, has no criminal history and has been accused of no crimes in the past nine years, the document said.
A criminal complaint filed in federal court alleges he molested boys, mostly on out-of-state summer trips, over 32 years.
A probation officer has testified she does not consider Pryor a flight risk and said a pretrial risk assessment shows he is a minimal risk of flight and danger to others.
Personnel records of the Gulfport School District and the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi contain no negative comments about him.
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