Tonya Craft was found not guilty of child molestation, aggravated child molestation and sexual battery in a Catoosa County courtroom on Tuesday but her long ordeal is far from over. The same is true for those who brought the charges against the former teacher, and those who prosecuted and heard the case that has lasted almost two years.
The main question -- that of Ms. Craft's guilt or innocence on 22 counts -- is settled. The jury's verdict did that. There are no similarly definitive answers, though, to other major questions that continue to arise from a case that attracted national attention. There likely won't be for some time to come.
Ms. Craft's life, obviously, will never be the same as it was before charges were brought against her. The lives of the families who accused Ms. Craft of molesting their daughters -- and the children themselves -- have been changed forever, too. There are questions about the course and conduct of the trial and events leading up to it. There are questions, too, about the ability of a community divided by differing views of the defendant's guilt or innocence to restore harmony.
Ms. Craft's first major step in rebuilding her life came Wednesday when her attorneys filed a motion asking Hamilton County Circuit Court to give her custody of her two children. After Ms. Craft was charged in 2008, her ex-husband filed for full custody of their children. They have lived with him since, and Ms. Craft has been able to visit her son but not her daughter. The filing understandably asks for that arrangement to be altered.
Ms. Craft now has time to plan her future, a luxury she's not had for nearly two years. She did say on Tuesday that in addition to regaining custody of her children that she would like to help others falsely accused of crimes, that she doesn't plan to teach again and that she may consider going to law school. That's enough for the moment.
The children and families who brought charges against Ms. Craft will have to reorder their lives. The youngsters, especially, could face emotional or other difficulties as they attempt to resume normal activities. Hopefully, assistance to help them -- and others in the case -- cope with the trial's aftermath will be available if it is needed.
The trial raised questions about the actions of those building, prosecuting and presiding over the Craft case. The jury clearly rejected the prosecutors' argument that the childrens' interviews were evidence enough to convict Ms. Craft. Her attorneys questioned the validity of the interviews, said other investigative work in support of the state's case was slipshod and wondered aloud about what they called questionable rulings during the course of the trial. Now that the trial has ended, the charges raised and questions asked by the defense should be addressed quickly and transparently by those involved.
The verdict of innocent on all counts ends the Craft trial and a highly public chapter in the lives of all involved. It does not provide closure. That, if it comes, might take a long time to arrive.