Former student, coworkers testify against ex-assistant principal in molestation case

TULSA - Testimony continues Thursday in the trial of a former Tulsa Public Schools administrator charged with molestation.

Robert Yerton is accused of sexually abusing several boys over an eight-year period.

On the stand Thursday was a former fourth grade student of Yerton's at Disney Elementary.

The now 24-year-old said Yerton was his teacher and they frequently held hands walking down the hallway.  He testified that other children would tease him that he and Yerton were gay.

The man said other than hand-holding, no skin-to-skin contact ever occurred.

He also said Yerton never brought up any inappropriate topics but that he asked Yerton about sex and masturbation and then Yerton would talk to him about them.

Next on the stand was a former coworker of Yerton's at Disney Elementary. She testified that she found Yerton in a computer room closet with a boy sitting on his lap. Yerton's hands near the boy's groin.

The woman testified that she discovered Yerton with a student a second time when she went to get a book from his classroom. She said she found him and a young boy laying on a futon side by side.

She testified that she called the DHS hotline but the Disney principal and counselor told her to mind her own business.

Three other former coworkers have testified Thursday, all remember inappropriate touching but none have testified to witnessing molestation.

On Wednesday, the first witness on the stand was a 20-year-old family member who told prosecutors Yerton abused him since he was 11 years old.

Four more witnesses took the stand, two of them former coworkers who said Yerton paid special attention to boys.

Between the state and defense attorney, there are at least 100 possible witnesses.

The former Skelly Elementary assistant principal is facing five felony charges, including three counts of lewd molestation and two counts of sexually abusing a child.

2NEWS reporter Liz Bryant is in the courtroom. Stay with KJRH.com for updates throughout the case.