Many are questioning if our criminal justice systems are working properly and bringing those accused of crimes brought to trial quickly.  One Florida case caught our attention after a reader contacted us.

We were recently made aware of the criminal trial of Jason Edward Meyers, in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Meyers is a former Palmetto High School teacher who is accused of 3 counts of sexual battery upon a young under-aged girl, who was one of his students, in April of 2014.

Meyers is still walking the streets of Miami-Dade County on his own recognizance. To date there have been 572 docket hearings on the Meyers case. Unbelievable. If we can’t bring someone accused of sexual battery to trial what does that say about our criminal justice system?

We thought that justice must be swift in order to be effective in deterring crime.

We were wrong when it comes to Miami-Dade County. It seems justice is slow and favors the alleged perpetrator rather than his victim or victims

Jason Edward Meyers was originally appeared in court on a bond hearing on February 19th, 2016 (see the details of State Case No.: 132016CF0034080001XX below).

According to the Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Courts Meyers is now scheduled for a trial hearing on November 28th, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. (see Meyers, Jason Edward case file below). That is 6 years and 9 months after the alleged crime of sexual battery upon a young under-aged girl.

South Florida’s NBC Channel 6 reported on April 12th, 2021,

In 2016, a young woman told police Jason Meyers had sex with her when she was a student at Palmetto Senior High. She was 17 years old at the time.  

It has been more than five years since former Miami-Dade schools teacher Jason Meyers was arrested and accused of having sex with an underage student.

But he has not faced a jury yet. His trial was rescheduled again Monday.

Months ago, NBC 6 Investigators spoke exclusively with the young woman prosecutors identified as his victim. We will refer to her as Luisa.

Luisa shared with NBC 6 the statement she has been waiting to read in court for years.

“You took advantage that I was a lost girl,” the statement read. “I quickly remind myself the only reality here is that you abused me and it was premeditated.”

In 2016, she told police Meyers had sex with her when she was a student at Palmetto Senior High. She was 17 years old at the time.

Luisa said it happened inside his classroom.

[ … ]

Meyer’s trial is now set for July [2021].

Michael A. Mora from ALMLaw.com reported,

A jury awarded the client of two South Florida attorneys a multimillion-dollar verdict in federal court in Miami, validating their litigation strategy.

And part of that strategy involved Mark A. Schweikert and Jason B. Sherry, solo practitioners based in Miami, putting client Jane Doe—one of the students who alleged a former Miami Palmetto Senior High teacher sexually abused her—on the stand for emotional testimony.

“I told her that, to be truthful above all else,” Mark A. Schweikert said to his client before she took the stand, adding that through the course of questioning, “you would see that emotion bubble up within her.”

We believe that Luisa and all others who have been molested by their teachers need their day in court to bring themselves closure. Telling their story to a jury has an impact and if convicted Meyers actions will have far reaching effects.

©Dr. Rich Swier. All rights reserved.

RELATED ARTICLE: Florida Teacher, 72, who Raped 14-Year-Old Student, gets a 2 Year Sentence

MEYERS, JASON EDWARD CASE DETAILS

The post FLORIDA: It Took Over 6-Years and 9 Months to Bring to Trial a Teacher Accused of Being a Sexual Predator. Why? appeared first on Dr. Rich Swier.