JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A former Duval County elementary school teacher charged with lewd molestation of a student went before a judge Friday morning.
Douglas Bailey, 57, was arrested in late July.
One of his third-grade students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School claimed that Bailey touched him inappropriately several times and forced the child to touch Bailey.
Six witnesses took the stand Friday as the defense requested Bailey's bond be reduced. The judge agreed, lowering it from $500,000 to $50,000.
According to the Jacksonville's Sheriff Office's jail website Bailey bonded out of jail at 5:30 Friday evening.
Bailey is ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors.
Four of the witnesses, including Melissa Edwards, Robert McKenney and Victoria Hobbs, were called by the defense.
"All of the staff is in support of Mr. Bailey," Edwards said.
The words of overwhelming support kept coming.
"I don't know exactly how to put this, but coming from an infantryman's background, you learn to trust your life with certain people," McKenney said. "I would trust my life with Doug Bailey."
But the prosecution's cross-examination was simple and to the point, asking each witness if he or she was in Bailey's classroom every day, all day long.
"Not every day during the school year but numerous times," Hobbs said.
Bailey also took the stand, answering questions about his willingness to comply with court orders.
A detective who conducted interviews with the alleged victim and other students also testified, followed by a Duval County Jail inmate who was wired and recorded a jailhouse conversation with Bailey.
"He did say that he regretted it, because of all the trouble that it's caused," the inmate said.
The judge ordered Bailey to have no unsupervised contact with minors if he posts bail. His next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 8.