Robert Halsey drove a school bus for twenty-five years, delivering
an entire generation of Lanesboro, Massachusetts children to school. Halsey
had a high school education and had served in the navy, then worked at
various factory jobs before becoming a bus driver. He was married and had
a grown up daughter and no criminal record.
He lived an unremarkable life until he was suddenly accused and convicted, in 1993, of a series of heinous crimes against some of the little children in his care. The chief complainants against him were twin boys whom Halsey had driven to school for more than a year and a half. These boys alleged that on the way to school, Halsey would detour to a secluded road, take the boys off the bus, and subject them to a variety of threats and sexual acts.
According to the boys, Mr. Halsey had unusual tastes. He liked to shoot fish, turtles, frogs and crayfish with a pellet gun or a .38. Other times, before getting down to the business of molesting the children, he would pull out his fishing pole and catch some fish. Sometimes he would merely threaten or frighten them, by waving knives and guns at them, or chasing them with a shopping cart, at other times he would sexually assault them. Then, Halsey would allegedly remove the duct tape he had placed on the children’s mouth and over their eyes, untie them, and drop them off at school. The twins’ teachers testified that the children behaved normally at school and were happy and well adjusted.
Not one of the children breathed a word to a parent or teacher during his supposed reign of terror. The twin boys’ first allegations against him came out in February 1993, a year after he had stopped driving them when they were taken to the hospital to meet their new baby sister.
Halsey’s public defender tried in vain to suggest to the jury that the twins’ story was motivated by a desire to get attention to compete with the new baby. He also pointed out some of the many inconsistencies and contradictions in the children's’ stories. They testified one after the other but seldom agreed on detail and often contradicted each other. The prosecuting attorney also ignored remarks the boys made on the stand, which contradicted the charges, Halsey was facing. For example, one of the boys said that Lily and Kelly (not their real names) two older children, were also tied up and molested by Halsey. Kelly was never called to testify and Lily testified that Mr. Halsey had only tickled her and given her candy.
Halsey was found guilty of numerous charges of assault and sexual assault and is currently serving a two consecutive and two concurrent life sentences. He was 64 at the time of his sentencing. His wife Mary has stayed loyal to him and they recently repeated their wedding vows on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. The Halseys have a limited income and are in poor health. He has consistently proclaimed his innocence of all charges.
===== Lona Manning