David J. Miller, 57, a science teacher
for 34 years in the Sweet Home School
District, was arrested on Monday, May 6
by the Amherst Police for conducting-"experiments" with at least five male high
school students. The experiments, conducted after school hours, required the
students to fully disrobe, supposedly to
test for electromagnetic fields around
their bodies.
Charged with two counts of sexual
abuse in the third degree and one count
of endangering the welfare of a minor,
both misdimeanmors, Miller pleaded not
guilty before Amherst Town Justice Mark
Farrell.
Miller's attorney, Corey Hogan, while
admitting it was a "mistake In judgment,"
denied any lascivious intent on the part of
his client.
"He was doing an experiment, and with
Miller there is only one way to do it—the
scientific way—with controls," Hogan
said. "There were machines to measure
the electromagnetic field and it is my understanding, as it's been explained to me
(by Miller), clothing disrupts the field."
Miller is also accused of fondling or
passing his hand over at least one of the
male students' genitals.
Hogan, adding that the parents of some
of the boys have retained an attorney to
explore the possibility of suing both the
school district and Miller for monetary
damages, said the children "probably are
mistaken," and that they may have "exaggerated" their accounts to police.
However, according to Captain Thomas
Gould, chief of detectives (or the Amherst
Police, the students he interviewed, who
appeared to him "more embarrassed than
hurt" by the episode, are "beyond doubt"
giving a true account.
Amherst Police Detective Lt. Joseph LaCourte, said the police department is still
looking into the possibility that other students may have been "endangered or
abused" by Miller. He declined to say
how widespread or what results the investigation has yielded thus far.
Miller's attorney, however; paints a picture of Miller quite a bit different than that
of a lascivious and voyeuristic pedophile.
"He seems tike an Albert Einstein type
character," Hogan said. "His clothes are
unmatched, he has a disheveled mass of
hair. His mind is totally absorbed by science."
There is a disparity of opinions, however, on Miller's contention that there is a
valid scientific reason to have had his students entirely nude as a control in his experiment.
Miller has received letters of support
from some of those same students. Collectively, they paint a picture of a dedicated and hard working teacher who, over
the years, spent extra time helping and
guiding them.
"From his perspective (sexual abuse)
was the farthest thing from his mind."
Hogan concluded. "His mind is focused
on physics."
