Scott Novy was conflicted Monday when he addressed a former Longview ISD special education teacher who pleaded guilty in his courtroom to multiple charges of injuring special education students.
Novy, the 188th District Court judge, had listened for several hours as parents testified about how their children were affected and watched videos that showed Cecilia Gregg terrorizing students 性视界传媒 nonverbal autistic 性视界传媒 in a J.L. Everhart Elementary School classroom.
Video showed her dragging a child across the floor, hitting a child repeatedly on the head and forcing another性视界传媒檚 head down onto a table when he wouldn性视界传媒檛 color something while yelling, 性视界传媒淒o you know how to do anything?性视界传媒
Gregg slapped a child性视界传媒檚 hand and tried to force another to wear a mask.
When one of those children began screaming, Gregg verbally taunted the student, making noises to mimic his crying and getting down in the student性视界传媒檚 face, calling him a cry baby.
She also forced a child to the floor more than once and sometimes used some kind of stick to strike students.
Novy also heard by letters from people who praised Gregg.
She testified Monday to never having been arrested for anything else and to never previously having been disciplined at work. She said she has bachelor性视界传媒檚 and master性视界传媒檚 degrees.
Gregg is married to Daryl Gregg, Pct. 4 constable for Gregg County.
性视界传媒淚 respect your husband so much,性视界传媒 Novy said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e known him for over 25 years.性视界传媒
He referred to people in the courtroom whose children had been abused 性视界传媒 and to people who were there Monday to support Cecilia Gregg.
性视界传媒淢rs. Gregg, who probably 96% of her life has been an A-plus person,性视界传媒 Novy said. 性视界传媒淪he really has性视界传媒.性视界传媒
But Novy said he saw seven children in the videos.
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 tough. I性视界传媒檓 supposed to make the right decision,性视界传媒 he continued. 性视界传媒淚 know you性视界传媒檙e a good person, I really do.性视界传媒
The judge worried about what goes on in special education classes at other schools that don性视界传媒檛 have cameras.
性视界传媒淚 know you性视界传媒檙e remorseful. I know you can性视界传媒檛 believe what you did,性视界传媒 he said, referring to her testimony earlier during the sentencing hearing.
性视界传媒淚 know the last person in the world who can believe you did this is your husband.性视界传媒
Novy ultimately sentenced Cecilia Gregg to eight years in prison on two indictments charging her with multiple counts of injury to a child. The sentences will be served concurrently,
She testified that until she saw the videos 性视界传媒 previously, not in the courtroom 性视界传媒 she wouldn性视界传媒檛 have believed it was her.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 very, very sorry,性视界传媒 she said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 ashamed of the way I acted性视界传媒 I can性视界传媒檛 believe it was me. I can性视界传媒檛 believe that was my actions性视界传媒. I just want the parents and the community and everyone to know how sorry I am for my actions.性视界传媒
Daryl Gregg testified that he hadn性视界传媒檛 seen the videos until he saw them in court Monday. They have been married 35 years.
He said he was shocked by what he saw and that he性视界传媒檚 never seen that kind of behavior from her around their children. He doesn性视界传媒檛 condone it, he said, agreeing that it was illegal.
性视界传媒淭he most important thing to me is that she get help for those things I saw on the video,性视界传媒 the constable said. 性视界传媒淭hat性视界传媒檚 not her character. In my opinion, my wife needs help.性视界传媒
Daryl Gregg would later cry quietly from the audience seating area while his wife was processed to be taken to jail.
Her attorney, J. Brett Harrison, argued she should receive probation.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Botto prosecuted the case.
Cecilia Gregg is the second of six former J.L. Everhart personnel to plead guilty in the case. In October, former teacher性视界传媒檚 aide Paula Dixon also was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The other women have not yet gone to trial.
