Pryor Appears in Court for Prelim. Hearing on Federal Charges

The preliminary hearing for William Richard Pryor, the Gulfport teacher accused of molesting students over a 41 year period, was heard Tuesday at the Dan M. Russell Federal Courthouse in Gulfport.

The atmosphere was tense in the crowded courtroom Tuesday, and only got more so after it came out that Pryor was not read his rights before the alleged confession at St. Patrick’s Catholic High School. School officials, residents, and law enforcement all seeking answers for these terrible allegations, filed into the courthouse early Tuesday afternoon.

The first witness called by the prosecution was F.B.I. Special Agent Matthew Campbell, who detailed the chain of events leading up to the questioning and arrest of Pryor. Agent Campbell’s affidavit details the molestation of up to eleven students, all male, ages 12 to 14, four of which the F.B.I. has interviewed, but Agent Campbell says that this initial meeting was not an official interrogation, therefore he did not feel it was necessary to read Pryor his rights before the meeting.

After the hearing News 25 spoke to Dr. Michael Ladner, the Superintendent of Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, who says, "It’s very disheartening. I had mixed emotions throughout the whole ordeal, but it was very gut wrenching ‘cause you just wonder how this many years this could go by unnoticed, unseen, and people can just escape from these things. My heart just goes out to the victims.”

The defense called Pryor’s sister to the stand, a retired teacher, who gave a heartfelt apology and vouched that she would monitor her brother under house arrest in lieu of jail time.

The general feeling from the spectators in the courtroom was not optimistic, and they questioned why Pryor was not read his rights prior to the confession. His bond however, was denied.