LEBANON — Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell wants to know why concerns are now being raised about the sanity of a former Mason teacher accused of having sexual relations with five male students last year.

Late Monday afternoon, Lebanon attorney Charles Rittgers entered a motion in Warren County Common Pleas Court to change Stacy Schuler’s plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

This is highly unusual this late in the case, Fornshell said. This is usually done around the time of arraignment. Why is this coming up now? What has come up between April and July?

Fornshell said it was also unusual for a defendant to change their plea after discovery was exchanged with her defense counsel. Discovery is when prosecutors and defense lawyers share what evidence will be presented at trial.

Nothing was said at the previous pre-trial conferences, Fornshell said.

Rittgers issued a statement saying that Schuler was a victim.

Stacy Schuler is a 33-year-old teacher who devoted her life to helping and caring for others. It has come to light that during the period of the alleged misconduct, Stacy Schuler had become impaired and thereby unable to prevent the young men from taking advantage of her. In the fall of 2010, the young men involved in this case traveled across the county in order to take advantage of her impairment, the release said.

Stacy Schuler’s defense from a legal standpoint is based upon her inability to protect herself from the young men involved in this case, the release said.

Fornshell said he’s wondering if this was a tactic to see if people would not be able to return to testify if the trial is delayed should the motion be granted by Judge Robert Peeler.

Fornshell said some of the male students will be going to college this fall and may have difficulty returning to testify at Schuler’s trial.

If the court allows it to be changed, it could delay the trial, Fornshell said.

He said his office will oppose a plea change and/or any trial delay at the next pretrial hearing that is set for 11 a.m. July 21.

Fornshell said it would be up to Peeler whether to allow the change in pleas.

As a result of the motion, Rittgers said Schuler, 33, of Springboro, will have to be examined by one or more psychologists or psychiatrists.

Under Ohio law, a person is considered insane if they are suffering from a mental defect and doesn’t know right from wrong.

Rittgers said the examination of Schuler will be to determine if she is competent to stand trial. If she is found to be competent to stand trial, a determination will have to be made whether she was insane at the time of the alleged acts, assuming if everything the state is alleging is true.

A three-day trial for Schuler was scheduled to begin Aug. 8. She was originally scheduled to go on trial in early May but was granted a continuance on April 14 by Peeler.

Schuler is charged with 16 felony counts of sexual battery and three counts of offenses involving underage persons, a first-degree misdemeanor, for allegedly buying or providing beer for five Mason students, most of whom were football players.

Schuler is accused of having sexual relations with the students on five different occasions at her Cobblestone Lane home in Springboro. Prosecutors said the alleged incidents occurred in 2010 on Aug. 20, 27, Sept. 10, Oct. 17 and Dec. 23.

Rittgers said Schuler has denied all of the charges.

The students have given specific details about Schuler’s residence and told Mason police that all of the alleged sexual encounters occurred in her master bedroom and bathroom. They also allegedly saw inappropriate photos on her cell phone and on her laptop computer. That information enabled police to obtain a search warrant on Feb. 2.

The allegations against Schuler were reported to school officials anonymously on Jan. 10. On Jan. 18, the 10-year Mason teacher was placed on paid administrative leave and has since resigned. Schuler is free on bond and is wearing a GPS monitoring device while living in Centerville with her parents.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4504 or erichter@coxohio.com.

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