School Counselor Found Guilty of Child Sexual Abuse of Students at School for Deaf

By Andrew Metcalf


A former student life counselor at the Maryland School for the Deaf in Columbia was found guilty of two counts of child sexual abuse by a Howard County jury on Wednesday morning.

The jury debated for more than 10 hours before reading its verdict around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Clarence Taylor, 38, of Gwynn Oak, faces up to 25 years in prison for each count.

Taylor faced a total of seven charges after being accused of groping seven girls at the Columbia campus of the Maryland School for the Deaf between 2008 and 2010. At the time, the girls were between the ages of 10 and 13.

The jury was unable to decide on four counts and found Taylor not guilty on a fifth.

Taylor, who is hearing-disabled, appeared shocked after finding out through interpreters about the verdict. When discussing whether his bond should be revoked, Taylor asked the judge through interpreters, "Your honor, please, please give me a chance."

Taylor communicated that he took care of his three young children and that his wife has stood by him. He said through an interpreter that he would not leave the area. 

Ultimately, Judge William V. Tucker revoked Taylor's bail, saying, "The court has public safety concerns."

After the verdict, members of the jury declined to speak to reporters waiting outside the courtroom. 

In the two incidents in which Taylor was found guilty, he was accused of touching a girl's breasts, buttocks and the top of her vagina. The second girl accused him of touching her breasts, according to Lisa Broten, assistant state's attorney for Howard County who prosecuted the case.

"We always felt this was a very serious manner," said Broten outside the court hourse.

Broten said the state plans to bring another trial in the four cases in which the jury was unable to reach a decision. That trial is scheduled for May 2014.

Brandon Mead, Taylor's defense attorney, said he believed the guilty verdicts would be overturned on appeal. He said there were problems with the police interview in which police brought in two interpreters to communicate between Taylor and Howard County police detective Penelope Camp.

When Taylor testified during the trial he said multiple times his sign language was misinterpreted during the police interview.

Mead said an expert witness is needed to review the interview.

"The public defender is the best option on an appeal," said Mead. "The need for expert testimony is obvious."

Det. Camp declined comment after leaving the courtroom on Wednesday. 

Broten said "all considerations were given" regarding the police interview, and said she saw no problems with it. 

Mead said he would file an appeal on behalf of Taylor and his family.

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 31, 2014.

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