Woman convicted of abusing karate students wants new trial

LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- A karate instructor sentenced to 40 years in prison for having sex with her students wants a new trial. She told the court on Monday that she was the victim.

Lori Franklin says, "If I would talk or tell anybody he would kill me and then he did other cruel things to me."

Franklin, a former karate instructor, is serving a 40-year sentence for having sex with her students.

She and her boyfriend Richard Woodard were convicted on more than two dozen counts of sodomy and rape in 2004. They worked at Woodard's karate studio on Dixie Highway and were convicted of abusing at least four students over several years. Eight years later, she wants a new trial.

She was crying so hard in court attorneys and the judge took a break to let her compose herself. Franklin says, "I didn't abuse any of the students. I was the one that was getting abused."

A mother of one of the victims is hoping Franklin doesn't get a new trial. She says Franklin abused her daughter when she was about 10 years old.

Kimberly Moore says, "She was a friend of ours, so that it's even more outrageous that she came to my house and she was somebody we trusted."

Franklin claims her attorneys for her trial were ineffective. But they say they wouldn't have represented her any differently if they were to do it all over again.

Her former attorney Scott Barton said, in reference to Franklin being abused, "No evidence was every shown to me or presented to me that any of that ever happened."

Franklin says, "I've been saying I'm innocent the whole time" when asked about abusing the students.

Moore says, "I'm sad for her. She's lost a lot of weight. I'm probably older than she is, I think. She looks like prison has just kind of wore her down and I'm sad for her that she continues to maintain her innocence after a jury convicted her."

Attorneys on both sides are now submitting what's called "post hearing briefs." Once the judge receives those, he'll then decide on whether Franklin should have a new trial.