Rapist Slits Throat In Court: Former California Teacher Jeffrey Scott Jones Convicted Of Raping Girlfriend's 13-Year-Old Daughter
A former California teacher slit his throat Wednesday as a jury convicted him of raping his girlfriend’s then-13-year-old daughter.
Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, of Huntington Beach pulled out a razor blade and sliced his throat after being convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child and continuous sexual abuse in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Right after the judge asked if we wanted jurors polled, both attorneys said no, and then he took a razor out of his left pocket and slashed his throat," Senior Deputy District Attorney Heather Brown said. "His head hit the table and I thought he fainted, but then I saw the blood and the razor on the table."
Defense attorney Edward Welbourn said his client was bleeding profusely. Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Stichter said Jones had to be restrained as medical personnel tried to work on him. Stichter said the injury was not life-threatening. Jones was treated at a hospital.
Stichter said the sheriff’s department would investigate how Jones, who had been free on bond, obtained his weapon.
Jones taught school for 27 years at Bell High School in Bell and Gahr High School in Cerritos, prosecutors said. Brown said during the trial Jones had been abusing the now-17-year-old girl since she was in eighth grade.
The Patch reported Jones was teaching at the Libra Academy in Huntington Park at the time charges were filed. Prosecutors said he had sex with the girl in May 2013 and molested her repeatedly before that. The girl’s mother accused her of “framing” Jones. Welbourn argued the girl made up the story because she had been caught smoking marijuana.
The jury deliberated about two hours before rendering its verdict.
Judge Steven Bromberg set sentencing for Nov. 4. Jones faces a possible 68 years to life in prison.
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