Teen Testifies Dumme Seduced Him

A Burbank High School football player testified Tuesday that fund-raiser Salle Dumm served him vodka and seduced him, saying “Do this for your team.”

The youth, now 18, was a minor at the time of the encounter in July 1995 with Dumm, 51. She is on trial for engaging in unlawful sex with a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The case shook the Burbank School District as criminal charges were brought against two football coaches, and the president of the school board resigned after admitting he was aware of the allegations but did not report them to authorities.

The defense contends that the youth took advantage of Dumm and that she lacked any criminal intent when they had sex.

On Tuesday, the prosecution wasted no time in laying out its account of the one-night stand.

“She admits they had sex,” Deputy District Atty. David Vaughn said during opening statements before Pasadena Superior Judge Thomas W. Stoever. “The boy admits they had sex.”

The teenager testified that he drank three or four vodka and orange juice drinks, massaged Dumm’s neck and touched her breasts, while socializing at her Burbank home on July 14, 1995.

Later in the evening, he testified that he found a note instructing him to go to the bedroom. There, he found a naked Dumm leaning against a bed, the youth testified.

Before they engaged in sex, Dumm told the boy softly to “Do this for your team,” the teenager testified.

Often during the testimony, Dumm scribbled notes or shook her head. At times, the teenager bit his lower lip or tugged on his shirt.

The prosecution alleges that as president of the Burbank Educational Foundation, Dumm had told the youth that in return for sex a contribution would be made to help the school football team, according to prosecutors.

Dumm was arrested in November after John Hazelton, the high school’s former head football coach, told school authorities about the alleged encounter.

The case led to the February resignation of then Burbank School Board President Joe Hooven, who admitted failing to report what he knew about the encounter.

In addition, Hazelton and former assistant coach John Greaves were charged with misdemeanors because as school district employees, they were required by state law to immediately report a case of suspected child abuse.

In May, Hazelton pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of disturbing the peace and was ordered to serve three years probation.

Also in May, Greaves, whose charges initially included making death threats against Hazelton in order to try to keep the sex allegations quiet, pleaded no contest to making annoying phone calls. Greaves was ordered to serve 200 hours on a Caltrans cleanup crew and spend 48 hours in jail.

In yet another twist, the family of the youth last month filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking unspecified damages due to the teenager’s alleged emotional injuries resulting from the experience, and his parents’ purported emotional and financial hardship.

In addition to Dumm, the lawsuit names the Burbank Unified School District, the educational foundation as well as Hooven, Hazelton, Greaves and tutor Maureen Burke.

Burke, who was not charged in the case, drove the boy to Dumm’s home, telephoned Hazelton when she realized Dumm and the youth were locked in the bedroom and eventually stored the youth’s underwear in a freezer as evidence, according to court testimony and police.

The prosecution expects to complete its case against Dumm today. Defense lawyer Jacque Boyle declined to make an opening statement Tuesday and has refused to discuss the case outside the courtroom.