Jurors Told Retiree Molested Two Girls

Aided by his ex-wife, a 65-year-old retired math teacher molested two preteen girls three years ago, a prosecutor told jurors Wednesday.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Audry Rohn described how defendants Gilbert Wright and Diana Nice, 47, allegedly forced the girls at separate times to participate in various sex acts.

The trial for Wright and Nice, who have pleaded not guilty, got underway Wednesday with opening statements in Ventura County Superior Court.

Wright, a longtime teacher and former football coach at Santa Paula High School, is charged with 10 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child and two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

According to prosecutors, the alleged molestation occurred in 1996 and 1997 while the girls--9- and 12-year-old half-sisters who live out of state--were visiting California.

Authorities say Nice did not engage in sex acts with the girls but helped Wright have contact with them at Wright’s Santa Paula home. Rohn told the jury Nice on one occasion got the older girl drunk before Wright sexually assaulted her.

“That was the party house,” Rohn said, “drugs, sex and molestation.”

Nice is charged with five counts of aiding and abetting lewd and lascivious acts with a child and two counts of making a child available for molestation.

Defense attorneys for Wright and Nice told jurors the evidence against their clients is weak and inconsistent.

Ventura attorney Louis “Chuck” Samonsky Jr., who is representing Wright, said his client never inappropriately touched the girls. Samonsky told the jury the sisters made up the allegations of sexual abuse.

“Mr. Wright is not a child molester,” Samonsky said. “This story comes from angry and misguided young girls.”

Prosecutors say Wright engaged in sexual intercourse with the older girl. Samonsky said a doctor will testify there is no physical evidence that an assault occurred.

Attorney Jay Johnson, who is representing Nice, told jurors his client never assisted in any molestation.