Former Jackson High coach exonerated

Team water-girl claimed Vernon Edwards watched her shower

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The former Andrew Jackson High School football coach, who resigned amid allegations that he invited a female student to use his office shower, then watched her while she was naked and made lewd comments about her, will not face criminal charges.

The State Attorney's Office interviewed the girl and her mother, as well as other witnesses, and conducted a controlled phone call between the teen's mother and the coach, Vernon Edwards.

During the call, Edwards denied watching the teen shower, but acknowledged that he let students use the shower.

Rhonda Peoples-Waters is an attorney who's not affiliated with this case and she said this essentially exonerates Edwards.

"They interviewed witnesses and those witnesses did not corroborate what the victim said or did not offer enough testimony to assist," Peoples-Waters said.

The SAO said it found no evidence to corroborate the teen's claims and thus had no probable cause to charge Edwards with voyeurism.

The Duval County School District also conducted a four-month investigation into the allegation and said earlier this year it found enough evidence supporting the student's claims against Edwards to terminate his contract in January.

Under the terms of his contract, he could have appealed the decision, but Edwards submitted his resignation on Feb. 2.

DOCUMENTS: Coach Edwards investigation, termination, resignation

According to a letter from Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, the investigation found that Edwards (pictured in photo courtesy of The Florida Times-Union) violated both the code of ethics and professional conduct agreements, which is grounds for immediate termination and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office was contacted about possible criminal charges.

The State Attorney's Office investigated and decided not to file criminal charges.

The School District investigation began in September after the student -- identified only as a senior who was serving as water girl for the football team -- complained that Edwards twice directed her to shower in his bathroom, then watched her and made inappropriate comments.

The victim told investigators that the first incident occurred Sept. 12, saying that Edwards told her she needed a shower, but she said the door to his bathroom was stuck and wouldn't shut, so she undressed in the shower because the door was wide open. She also said the shower curtain was narrow and wouldn't cover her body and that she felt Edwards was looking at her.

She said Edwards asked why she was hiding from him and then asked her about her private parts.

The student said that after she stepped out of the shower and got dressed, Edwards gave her $10 for food when she left.

The student said that four days later Edwards told her he had a shower ready for her, but she declined. But two days later the girl decided to shower there again, and she said Edwards walked in the room toward a closet, stopping to stare at her naked body. She said he gave her $5 when she was leaving.

After officials investigated the girl's claims, Edwards was suspended from coaching and reassigned to a nonteaching position on Sept. 23. Assistant Michael McNair was named the school's interim coach and finished out the season but wasn't initially told why Edwards was no longer at the school.

Edwards' attorney declined to comment about the results of the SAO investigation.