Students Say School Authorities Knew Of Carrier’s Strip Searches

On Monday, the 12th day of Joshua Carrier’s child sex abuse trial, two boys testified about drug strip searches they said Carrier performed on them; searches they said school authorities at Horace Mann Middle School were aware of.

This makes three boys who have given similar testimony about being searched after school officials suspected they had been smoking marijuana over the weekend.

The first teen to take the stand Monday said Carrier took him into a room with assistant principal Ken Potman and security guard Nick Graham. He said Carrier had him strip down to his sports shorts, held his hands behind his back and then felt over his body. The boy said Carrier touched his genitals over his shorts while Potman and Graham looked through his belongings in the back of the room. He said Graham and Potman likely couldn’t see what exactly was happening because his back was to them.

The next boy to testify said he was called out of class to meet with assistant principal Peggy Layh, Carrier and Graham. He said Layh left the room and then Carrier had him strip to his boxers. He testified that Carrier told him, “This is where it’s going to get awkward,” and then gave the boy the option of showing his genitals or getting a pat down.

The boy said he opted for a pat down, and then Carrier touched his genitals over his shorts. He said afterward, Layh knocked on the door and asked if Carrier was done, then came back in the room to talk to the boy about drug use.

A third boy testified earlier in the trial that Layh pulled him out of class and told him he would be searched for drugs. He said once in a room with Carrier and Graham, Carrier told him he could strip nude or leave his underwear on and let Carrier “feel around.” The boy said he chose the pat down.

Layh and Potman testified early on in the trial and both stated that they would never authorize a strip search. Layh testified that she only found out that Carrier had strip searched a student after a mother complained to her. She said she told Carrier he was not allowed to do it again.

Potman said on the stand that he walked in on a search Carrier was doing where a student was down to his sports shorts. Potman said he explained to both Carrier and Graham that those kind of searches are not allowed.

Colorado Springs Police Sgt. David Edmondson, who’s in charge of training new recruits, testified that CSPD only allows officers to perform strip searches on people who are under arrest and requires officers to get written authorization from a commander first.