Former teacher to be released from prison by apologizing to victim, witness

WARREN — Apologies are apparently the key to Eric Kline, a former Warren G. Harding High School special education teacher, leaving prison early and staying out of prison after being convicted last November of having sex with one of his students.

Judge Ronald Rice of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court said during a hearing today that Kline "accepted responsibility" for the crime in a letter he wrote to the judge asking for early release.

The judge said he was releasing Kline from prison, but Kline needed to write a letter of at least 250 words to both the victim and a witness in the case apologizing to both of them. The judge will get a copy of those letters.

The judge said if Kline does not show sincerity in those letters, Kline will be "headed back to prison."