TAMPA, Fla. (WTSP) -- Debra LaFave had a taste of true freedom, but she likely
won't experience it again for years.
LaFave will be back in a Hillsborough County courtroom Thursday morning. The
focus of the 8:30 a.m. hearing is the future of her probation.
You'll remember LaFave served no prison time for having sex with a 14-year
old student while she was a teacher at Greco Middle School.
As part of a plea deal in 2005, she got three years of house arrest, followed
by seven years of probation.
About halfway through that probation a judge granted her request to end her
probation early and get her back to full freedom.
For months after that ruling, she was able to come and go as she pleased.
But prosecutors said wait a minute -- her original plea deal made it clear
that there's no ending this early.
Under the deal, she has to serve the whole seven years with restrictions on
her travel and a curfew.
A few months ago, an appeals court said it agreed with the prosecutors: the
deal LaFave made in 2005 has to stick, including the part where she couldn't get
off probation early.
So expect Thursday's hearing to focus on the details of her renewed
probation, which should last until at least 2015.
LaFave's lawyer has appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.
She's hoping the justices will decide that she can end her probation early
because she's done everything the court has asked of her.
The Supreme Court may rule that way, or it may not, but it did say last month
that the justices are okay with LaFave going back on probation for now while she
waits for an answer.
Grayson Kamm, WTSP