Dramatic rescue video played in Damian Conti teacher sex trial; Conti cries while watching himself confessing to cops
Jurors in the Damian Conti sex abuse trial saw a disturbing video Friday of deputies racing to rescue Conti’s student
By Terri Parker
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WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — Jurors in the Damian Conti sex abuse trial saw a disturbing video Friday of deputies racing to rescue Conti’s student, who was trying to end her life.
They also watched body cam video of Conti confessing he had sex with the 16-year-old — a charge which now he is denying.
Prosecutors say Conti was allegedly supposed to end his life with the teen. Instead, he left her alone and called 911, as the girl went ahead with their plan.
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They played a sheriff’s office body cam video of a deputy racing toward a group of trees where a helicopter pilot had spotted the girl hanging.
Several deputies were looking for the 16-year-old using her cellphone’s locator feature — she and Conti shared each other’s locations.
A deputy testified that when they reached her, she was not breathing, purple in the face and foaming at the mouth.
“First thing I saw was a foot — a white foot — saw a female hanging from a rope around her neck,” said Cpl. Bradley Labrys.
Labrys cut her down, and they performed frantic CPR on the teen, saying her name repeatedly and urging her to breathe.
Rescue raced the teen to the intensive care unit, where she was intubated and put on a ventilator.
Meanwhile, Conti was at a Burger King, talking to deputies who had arrived to help with the search.
On that bodycam, jurors heard Conti confess in a whisper to deputies he did have sex with the girl, start crying and say, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Conti said he’d only had full sex with the girl one time — something she claims happened several times in addition to daily encounters.
Conti told deputies he started an inappropriate relationship because he was unhappy with his marriage, and at that point, he breaks down, talking in breathless gulps about his problems.
Listening in court, Conti started crying as well — his first show of emotion in a trial that could send him to prison for 45 years if convicted.
damian conti jury selectionJury selection begins in trial of former teacher accused of sexual relationship with student Conti is charged with having sex with a minor while he was a teacher and with assisting in self-murder.
The state will finish up its case Monday morning, and then the defense begins.
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