A former Atlanta high school band director accused of repeatedly having sex with a female student was released from jail last week against the wishes of the Fulton County district attorney and the band director’s wife, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Jovan Salon Burton, 35, was arrested late last month and charged with sexual assault by a teacher for allegedly having sex with one of his students at the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy in northwest Atlanta.
RELATED: School band director accused of having sex with student
The student told a teacher at the school that she and the band director had sex about six times over at least a month, including on campus in the band room and in the man’s car, the news station reported.
District Attorney Paul Howard told the news station Thursday that Magistrate Judge John DeFoor released Burton after the student sent him a message requesting bond for the former Atlanta Public Schools teacher.
“I’ve never seen anything like this happen before,” Howard said, adding the student’s grandmother — who was her legal guardian — was upset by the judge’s decision to release Burton. “She did not want him to get out on bond. His own wife stated that she didn’t want him to return to her home.”
Channel 2 previously reported that the former band director, who resigned the day he was arrested, is married with two young daughters. The student at the center of the case is now 18 years old.
Burton was arrested at the school by APS police Feb. 25. The arrest was captured on a student’s cellphone.
Burton was released March 13 after posting a $100,000 bond. Fulton records show he is required to have an ankle monitor.
In other news:
About the Author
