Saturday November 5, 2005 7:16 AM
By MITCH STACY buttociated Press Writer
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A former elementary school dance teacher was sentenced to two years of house arrest early Saturday for speeding away after her car hit and end two young brothers last year.
Jennifer Porter, 29, of Land O' Lakes pleaded guilty Aug. 30 to leaving the scene of the March 31, 2004, accident that end Bryant Wilkins, 13, and his brother Durantae Caldwell, 3. An 8-year-old sister and 2-year-old brother were injured.
Circuit Judge Emmett Lamar Battles said he weighed Porter's clean police record and the fact that she underwent ``extreme trauma'' at the time of the crime in sentencing her to ``community custody,'' which he described as ``a stricter form of probation - essentially house arrest.''
Under the sentence, Porter also must serve three years probation, perform 500 hours of community service benefiting children and receive psychiatric treatment.
Porter could have faced a prison sentence of up to 15 years if convicted at trial. She was previously offered a plea deal that would have sent her to prison for three years, but her attorney said she decided to plead guilty and hope the judge would give her a lighter sentence.
During a marathon sentencing hearing Friday, the boys' mother, Malissa Wilkins, 30, urged state Circuit Judge Emmett Lamar Battles to sentence Porter to the maximum three years.
``I want her to be punished,'' Wilkins said. I want her to go to prison. I want her to see what it's like to lose someone.''
Wilkins attended the hearing with a number of family members who sat in the first row of the courtroom, across the aisle from Porter's parents and supporters.
Wilkins declined comment after the sentence was handed down at about 1:30 a.m. - as did prosecutor Kim Seace and Porter's attorney, Barry Cohn.
The children were struck by Porter as they returned home from a community center near the newly opened elementary school where Porter was working.
Medical examiner reports said the boys died instantly. Witnesses said the 3-year-old was dragged about 150 feet under the silver Toyota Echo.
Porter drove to her parents' home in Pasco County and did not come forward for five days. Some witnesses said a white van had struck the children first, throwing them into her car, but investigators concluded the van wasn't involved.
Lycia Alexander-Guerra, a psychiatrist who has treated Porter since shortly after the accident, said Porter's brain ``shut down'' after hitting the children, keeping her from acting rationally and calling authorities.
Later, when she wanted to return to the scene and call police, her father decided that they would hire an attorney first, even wiping blood off the car and pulling it on the garage.
``I regret it, it was a bad decision,a wrong decision,'' James Gregory Porter testified about delaying his daughter's surrender. ``And I'm very sorry I made it.''
Alexander-Guerra said Porter continues to punish herself, living under a veil of suicidal thoughts, depression, guilt and shame.
``She has such severe guilt and remorse about happened that there are times she thinks she should be dead,'' Alexander-Guerra said.
Porter is white and her victims were black and some in the black community say she has been treated leniently because of her race and economic background.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Cal Henderson has said his office had received calls from some people complaining that Porter was not facing more serious charges. But officials said to warrant a vehicular homicide charge, prosecutors would have had to prove at least two violations, other than leaving the scene.
Investigators estimated that she was driving a 6 to 10 mph over the posted 30 mph speed limit, but they could not find another traffic violation.
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Looks like a combination of corruption, criminal coddling and racism.
