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Prosecution rests in youth prison sex abuse case

LUBBOCK, Texas — The prosecution rested Wednesday in the trial of a former principal at a Texas juvenile prison accused of sexually abusing inmates in 2004 and 2005.

Prosecutors called more than a dozen witnesses, including the five young men who say they were abused by John Paul Hernandez in darkened classrooms and closets at the West Texas State School in Pyote.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts, including one sexual assault charge. His attorney has said the inmates made up the allegations so they would be released from the facility, which closed last summer.

Prosecutors alleged that Hernandez, 45, and Ray Brookins, a former administrator at the school, gave inmates special treatment, candy and promises of financial aid before sexually abusing them. A 2005 report from Texas Rangers investigators said the two summoned young male inmates from their dorms late at night and from classrooms and took them to ball fields, darkened conference rooms, closets or storage units and offices for sexual encounters.

Brookins was sentenced last April to 10 years in prison.

The allegations of abuse and subsequent investigations prompted the resignations or firings of several top state officials responsible for overseeing the state's juvenile prison system, and upended the Texas Youth Commission. It led to accusations of a cover-up, reports exposing lax medical care, beatings, and a culture of retaliation against whistle-blowers. Lawmakers eventually ordered an overhaul of the system.

During the eight days of the prosecution's case, several of the alleged victims cried on the stand while describing their alleged encounters with Hernandez. They testified they did not tell anyone at the prison about the alleged abuse because they were embarrassed and feared retaliation.

One alleged victim eventually told a corrections officer he was abused but then denied his story when he was summoned to Brookins' office in October 2004, a few months before Texas Rangers began their investigation.

Authorities said the cases against Brookins and Hernandez were investigated separately because they had different accusers.

The Associated Press generally doesn't identify victims of sexual abuse.

Several teachers at the school at the time of the alleged abuse testified that they warned Hernandez about being behind closed doors with inmates alone after finding him in such situations.

Hernandez's family members have been in the gallery each day since the trial began Feb. 7.

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