Jury finds local teacher not guilty of battery, stalking

A jury of six people took less than 20 minutes to determine a local teacher was not guilty of stalking and battery on April 11. 
The jury of two men and four women found Theresa Blankenship not guilty after hearing two and a half days of testimony and closing arguments. As the verdict was read by special judge Leo Burns, from Cass County, Theresa broke into tears. Her family and supporters, who were also in the Pulaski Superior Court, finally had a few moments of peace after almost two years of concern, worry and heartache. 
A criminal case was filed against Theresa in May 2016 for stalking, a Level 6 felony, and battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor, after a Starke County woman accused her of slapping her face on Jan. 20, 2016, and stalking her between Nov. 1, 2014, and Feb. 24, 2015. Theresa was not arrested for the charges but yet summoned by the court.