LEBANON — A Warren County civil jury exonerated a Carlisle teacher Wednesday in an incident in which a second-grader was tied to his chair in 1997.

        Larry R. Price, who received a five-day unpaid suspension for his actions, had admitted that he loosely tied Robby Turner to his chair at Alden Brown Elementary School with a cord from an unused window blind.

        But he said it was a symbolic gesture to keep the boy from leaving his seat and bothering other students.

        The boy's mother, Tamikka Turner of Middletown, claimed the teacher's actions terrorized her son, forcing her to send him to a school outside the district.

        She said Mr. Price also put a box on her son's head, struck him on the thigh with a ruler and left the boy alone in a classroom for about 15 minutes while he was tied. Mr. Price denied that he placed a box on Robby's head or that he struck the child.

        Ms. Turner had asked the jury for $600,000 in punitive and compensatory damages from Mr. Price and the school board, which she contended didn't take appropriate disciplinary action and protected Mr. Price by hiding his past record of parent complaints.

        However, Judge Neal Bronson, of Warren County Common Pleas Court, dismissed the school district from the lawsuit in the midst of the three-day trial.

        Police helped school officials investigate the case immediately after the incident. No criminal charges were filed against Mr. Price, who now teaches at Carlisle High School.

Indiana riverboats paying off
Argosy wants weekday gamblers
College freshmen lack basic skills
Board of Regents report highlights
Sporty's in the spotlight
Anderson acquiring acreage
Council has four plans to clean streets
Leis eyes airborne transport
School closings seen
Taft fixed on biotech, Hyundai
Tristate A.M. Report
Waagner extradited to Ill.
XU, UC alumni fan 'shootout' flame from afar
HOWARD: Some Good News
PULFER: Toxic waste
Cambodian expected to plead guilty in killing
Ex-councilman: Duning forced out
Hamilton OKs 2002 budget
Jury says student unharmed
Mason manager gets a raise
Nix joins council a few weeks early
Poster parents owe money
Sheriff Ariss heads state lawmen group
Talawanda educators weighing facilities plans
Economic woes far-reaching
Ohio fun parks charging more
Portman won't seek GOP post
Two GOP leaders fight for Orient
Barking dog case could resonate
Eyebrows, questions raised
Four more Ky. Guard units about to get call
Garage to honor crossing guard
Kentucky News Briefs
Shelters' property dispute may displace potbellied pigs
State workers to join Teamsters