A school teacher in North Carolina had sex with a 15-year-old boy, but she avoided going to prison because she married him.
42-year-old Leah Gayle Shipman waited until her divorce was final, then married Johnny Ray Ison six days later.
By that time, Ison was 17, and his mother had to give permission since her son was still a minor.
Shipman was facing 15 years in prison on charges of statutory rape; but now, under North Carolina law, Ison can’t be compelled to testify against his new wife.
Without his testimony, prosecutors have no case.
62 Comments to “Teacher avoids prison in affair with student by marrying him”
January 21, 2013 at 9:25 AM
3 words : Beyond freakin' ridiculous!
By the way, I'll bet ALL my ££££ this marriage won't make it through 2014..
January 22, 2013 at 9:23 PM
Mary Kay Laturno (sp?)
January 21, 2013 at 12:32 PM
And this is modern day 2013! Backwoods behavior still exists!
January 22, 2013 at 9:24 PM
I was going to ask if the threat of "legal action" was the 21st century's version of the threat of the "shotgun".
January 21, 2013 at 1:20 PM
that no right for a 42 year old to have sex with a15 year old is she an her right mind I am only 10 yaers old writing this
January 21, 2013 at 3:55 PM
Heaven: You are right that the teacher was wrong. I am proud of you for feeling like this and also for comment on this. I watched President Obama today give his speech and you are the future he is speaking of. He would be proud of you, too.
January 21, 2013 at 8:50 PM
You are only ten so can't be expected to know what you're talking about. Age is only a number. Don't start conforming now or you may never stop. If two people love each other that's all that matters.
January 21, 2013 at 9:25 PM
Pwetendin two be ten awso isnt rite and I am onwy fwee and u haf witing this
January 21, 2013 at 10:16 PM
bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump (2nd trimester writing this).
January 21, 2013 at 10:24 PM
I'm twelve years old, and what is this?
January 23, 2013 at 12:39 AM
This, my young friend, is sarcasm XD
January 21, 2013 at 1:21 PM
years i mean
January 21, 2013 at 1:23 PM
Pity i didn't get that offer from a couple of teachers i had. Damn they were hot.
January 21, 2013 at 2:18 PM
What is wrong with his mother?! She gave permission for them to marry? She should've pressed charges for rape.
January 21, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Maybe his mother is also his sister and she agreed to take pity on him if he gave her the big piece of chicken at dinner.
January 21, 2013 at 5:55 PM
consensual sex is personal. Why does it have to be a legal matter? If everyone involved is happy with the outcome, then good for them for foiling the court system!
January 21, 2013 at 8:52 PM
In most states you can't give consent when you're 14 or 15
January 22, 2013 at 11:03 AM
You are not magically old enough at a certain age. I don't subscribe to "laws" telling me how to act if no one is getting hurt.
January 22, 2013 at 1:20 AM
Would you feel the same if it was a 42 yr. old male teacher with a 15 year old girl?
I bet you'd be hollering for them to throw the book at the "sicko", am I right?
January 22, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Wrong. A 15 year old girl may not have the headspace to totally know what they want, but they think they do. In some cultures this is normal. Again, if the parent, and the couple can all agree, the LAW does not need to be involved. Maybe that 15 year old girl and the 42 year old man of which you speak simply have some things they need to learn (life lessons). You can choose to make enemies of your teenagers if you want, but isn't it better to accept they are turning into adults and just be there for them if things go badly? Yes, been there, done that, with 4 teenagers.
January 22, 2013 at 12:32 PM
Bingo. We have the nerve to call the USA a "free country" and we criticize countires that have arbitrary laws (such as those in the Middle East), but we fail to realize that the age limits for sex, voting, drinking etc. are utterly arbitrary themselves.
January 22, 2013 at 9:26 PM
Hold up! How do you really justify what you said here???? You are seriously telling me that it is ok for a 42 year old woman to sleep with a 15 year old boy, but it isn't ok for a 42 year old man to sleep with a 15 year old girl??? HOW????? You state that a 15 year old girl may not have the headspace to totally know what they want….ummm but a 15 year old boy does????? Are you out of your mind???? What drugs do you use??? You are the reason that there should be a license to pro create!!!!!!!!!
January 22, 2013 at 9:36 PM
You obviously didnt understand what I said. Read again.
January 22, 2013 at 9:21 PM
Because it is nasty to sleep with a child! She is 40 something years old….what is attractive about a child? That is a pedophile! GROSS! If he was 18….it would totally be different….at that point he would be considered an adult….but the fact was he was only 15….not even old enough to drive by himself!! I don't care who is happy in that situation, it is wrong and nasty! If you want your 15 year old sleeping with a 40 something year old person I guess that is your choice but to me, if I ever found out that some 40 something year old woman was sleeping with my son before he is 18….you can guarantee that the law better get to her before I do because she would receive and a** whooping that she would never forget!
January 22, 2013 at 9:36 PM
When I was 15, an person wasn't considered an adult until they reached the age of 21. We couldn't vote. We could drink. We couldn't enter into contracts. We could only kill, since 18 year old boys were being drafted at the time. So, given your reasoning, 18, 19, and even 20 would have been gross. But, now 18 isn't? So, we just drop the age of consent down to 15 and that solves your problem with this I guess.
January 22, 2013 at 9:39 PM
Those are just preconceived kneejerk notions and uptight redneck opinions based on nothing but an angry reaction to something you obviously don't understand.
January 25, 2013 at 7:38 AM
It's also based on scientific studies that a brain isn't old enough to make mature decisions the person won't regret later on. It may be a "redneck opinion", but at least it isn't a barbaric opinion that takes advantage of impressionable and immature minds.
January 21, 2013 at 6:04 PM
Well it's clear that the teacher is white trash, I'm willing to bet that the "kid" isn't exactly innocent or had been taken advantage of…and for his mother to allow him to marry her says a lot. They're all made for each other – who the f cares?
January 21, 2013 at 6:27 PM
True "love" conquers all.
January 21, 2013 at 6:57 PM
This behavior is part of their heritage.No surprise.
January 21, 2013 at 6:58 PM
Tired of Morons would agree.
January 21, 2013 at 7:11 PM
I had sex for first time when I was 14. I Knew exactly what I was doing. I had a crush on my 6th grade teacher mrs fallman dam was she hot and yes if given the chance I would have had sex with her and NEVER blamed her hell no.
January 22, 2013 at 9:19 PM
I'll just bet you that a 42 year old male teacher having sex with a 14 year girl wouldn't be a problem for you then would it?
January 21, 2013 at 8:50 PM
Somebody went Cougar hunting!
January 21, 2013 at 8:55 PM
Just in case, I'm going to keep my salt and pepper shakers I was going to give them. . .
January 22, 2013 at 1:35 AM
I suppose she'll get her job back now since she hasn't been convicted of a crime, right? And he gains a tutor. One who'll always know whether or not he did his homework
So it's a win-win….. :-/
January 22, 2013 at 2:34 AM
Cue legions of feminists lighting themselves on fire in protest…*crickets*
Oh wait, this is just women being empowered, it's only the kind of rape that requires a lengthy prison sentence when it's an underage female with an adult male…
/end rant
January 22, 2013 at 4:59 AM
Isn't this a law in some middle eastern countries. The rape victim has to marry the their rapist.
January 22, 2013 at 9:38 AM
The mom figured the teacher would be a solid contributer in the childs college career. Sallie Mae is a b***** anything can help.
(all jokes aside)
A lot of people talk that "love" stuff until a 40+ yr old is having sex with your 17 &under child. The shit is bad and breeds a lot of sick minded individuals and or pedophiles/ rapist. Parents need to use common sense and prevent this type of shit NOW!!!!
January 24, 2013 at 8:47 AM
Amen!!!!!!!!!!
January 22, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Change genders or add "gay" to the story and the outcome and the reactions (especially when dealing with the North American hayseed) would sure not be the same.
January 22, 2013 at 9:43 PM
As I replied to an earlier post, reversing the genders would not change the results. Where was all that outrage when the 52 year old male actor married his 16 year old singer girlfriend in Nevada a couple of years ago? When I was growing up, when an older man had sex with a teen girl, we had a "shot gun wedding." – same result as we have hear. That's what happened to my brother when he got his girlfriend pregnant, and they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary last year. He didn't go to jail. He took care of his new bride and child.
April 6, 2013 at 8:51 PM
Even though that happened in your situation doesn't mean that its right .
January 24, 2013 at 8:47 AM
I hear ya.
January 22, 2013 at 12:57 PM
fozzynok…I disagree. Pedophilia is NOT the same as hetero or homo-sexuality. I don't care which gender or orientation you CLAIM to have, if you're having sex with children, you're a pedophile!
January 22, 2013 at 9:44 PM
I guess it depends on your definition of "children".
January 22, 2013 at 2:02 PM
Boy Let That Had Been a Black Person. Married Or Not, You Still Going To Jail. SMH. Beyond Crazy Man
January 22, 2013 at 3:37 PM
I swear 25 to life wouldve been poppin up everywhere.
January 24, 2013 at 8:50 AM
And that is the honest to goodness truth.
January 22, 2013 at 3:48 PM
Lucky bastard.
April 8, 2013 at 7:44 PM
She looks like Robbin twin .
January 22, 2013 at 8:40 PM
you damn right they would be Byrie
January 22, 2013 at 9:13 PM
Disgusting!
January 22, 2013 at 9:14 PM
he has a nice mugshot
January 22, 2013 at 9:32 PM
To the teacher you are gross and shame on you pervert, child molester!! This is why North Carolina has a bad repitation!
January 24, 2013 at 8:56 AM
Youare so right. The teacher should be very ashamed. But, as u can see, she doesn't care. No wonder her husband divorced her. Or whatever.
January 26, 2013 at 9:48 PM
When I was in 6th grade, I would have given anything to sleep with my 23 year old teacher, but she wouldn’t have no part of it. Nowadays it happens all the time. Teachers should be held to a higher standard since they are in a position of authority.
April 6, 2013 at 9:06 PM
I cant believe the stuff that im reading on here. Whether you want to admit it this situation is wrong. This lady is old enough to be his grandma. Yes there are certain cases where this consensual sex and statutory rape craziness is a little much . For instance when the 17 year old boy has a 16 or 15 year old girlfriend then he turns 18 and in societies eyes he can no longer be with this girl. BUT a 42 year old not only having sex but MARRYING a 15 year old is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS . AND THIS ALSO APPLIES IF THE GENDERS WERE REVERSED IT STILL IS WRONG !