A former ethics professor who was convicted of sexually assaulting a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy speaks for first time in a new documentary.
In 2015, Anna Stubblefield, then 39, a former Rutgers University-Newark professor, was found guilty of sexually assaulting Derrick Johnson, then 28, who is unable to speak, needs help eating and walking and is forced to wear diapers.
The American professor, who was married at the time, was sentenced to 12 years in 2015, although she was paroled for life in 2018.
Speaking for the first time in a new documentary Tell Them You Love Me, which aired on Sky Documentaries and is available on Now, Anna claimed Derrick had ‘taken charge’ and initiated sex with her.
However according to Derrick’s mother Daisy Johnson and brother John Johnson, who act as his legal guardians, he is intellectually disabled and cannot make those decisions.
Anna Stubblefield, a former Rutgers University-Newark professor, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy speaks for first time in a new documentary Tell Them You Love Me
Anna said: ‘I’m pretty sure I haven’t been re-writing things in my head. Derrick and I had debated on whether we wanted to say anything to Daisy and John about the change in our relationship.
‘We knew we were going to tell them eventually, so it was more that we were enjoying the initial romance when it’s very private. It is very intimate and it is just the two of you, and it changes when you start sharing with family.’
Speaking about the first time they became intimate Anna called that Derrick had ‘taken charge’ and asked her to remove her clothing.
Anna claimed that she embarked on a physical affair with Derrick after forging a connection through the controversial technique of facilitated communication.
Facilitated communication is when an individual steadies the hand of a person who struggles to communicate because of tremors and helps them to type on a keyboard.
She said: ‘It’s difficult for him to kiss so he wanted to practise. Like everything else it is a physical challenge for him. I could tell he was very tense. I said: ”Talk to me, what’s going on?”. He typed: ”I really love being with you, I love doing this, but I am overwhelmed right now, I need a minute”.’
Anna said she presumed the moment had passed, saying she didn’t want to pressure Derrick into anything, and told him that because it was ‘all new’ to him he had to ‘call the shots.’
She recalled: ‘He started typing “I touch your breasts”, then he typed, “Take your shirt off all the way”. So I did that and then he said: “Take the rest of your clothes off”. So I did and then he said: “I dreamed about this”.
Anna was found guilty of sexually assaulting Derrick Johnson, (pictured 2023) who is unable to speak, needs help eating and walking and is forced to wear diapers, in 2016
The American professor, who was married at the time, was sentenced to 12 years in 2015, although she was paroled for life in 2018
According to Derrick’s mother Daisy Johnson (left) and brother John Johnson, (right) who act as his legal guardians, he is intellectually disabled and can not make those decisions
‘It seemed to me he had really taken control of the situation. He was ordering me around but that was kind of cool because I wasn’t necessarily anticipating that element of the relationship.
‘He said: “I long to hold you the way men do”. He said: “Do you think it will even be possible with my cerebral palsy for us to make love?” and I said, “I have no idea but there is only one way to find out”.’
According to facilitatedcommunication.org the controversy surrounding facilitated communication emerged in the 1990s when concerns were raised about the validity and reliability of the method.
Critics argued that the messages produced through FC may not originate from the individual with autism but rather reflect the facilitator’s thoughts or desires
Derrick and Anna met in 2009 when John, who was a student of Anna’s, approached the professor about his brother’s condition and she offered to help Derrick with his communication skills.
He soon learned to use a keyboard with an LED screen to type and, with Anna’s assistance, he began taking a university class.
Derrick’s mother Daisy recalled the moment that Anna and her son broke the news of their intimate relationship to her and her older son John.
Daisy said: ‘She said ”We are in love, and we have been intimate, he is a man in every sense of the word”. I sat on my hands and I said: ”You did what?”. I tried to be civil, John had gone somewhere, I think went to throw up.
John said: ‘I was shocked I didn’t know what to make of it at the time. But i felt myself getting so angry and rage filled that I had left, I went downstairs I paced a few times, I had to let my anger subside.’
In 2015, Anna was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but in 2017, Anna’s appeal was granted and her conviction revoked, on a technicality
Anna claimed that she embarked on a physical affair with Derrick after forging a connection through the controversial technique of facilitated communication
Daisy alleged that her son is incapable of consent, claiming he didn’t have the capacity to engage in physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with her wouldn’t have been possible unless Anna was manipulating his hands
Derrick, picutred with his brother John, still lives with his mother Daisy (right), and has not seen Anna since 2011 and he no longer uses facilitated communication
Anna recalled that the interaction went well and claimed that Daisy hugged her goodbye and said: ”We will figure this out”.’
However, the next morning Anna got a call from John saying they did not feel comfortable with her seeing Derrick.
Daisy alleged that her son was incapable of consent, claiming he didn’t have the capacity to engage in physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with her wouldn’t have been possible unless Anna was manipulating his hands.
Anna siad: ‘I never got any vibe off John or Daisy that they didn’t 100 percent believe that what Derrick said was his words.
‘I had been careful in the beggining to make sure that I wasn’t influencing him, but there were so many situations were he was telling me information I didn’t know and at the beggining I was checking it to make make sure I wasn’t influencing him.
‘The fact that we had arguments and disagreements and he very clearly had his own mind – he more than proved himself. I had all this proof that I could of shared with them to reassure them.’
However, Daisy claimed her son didn’t have the capacity to engage in physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with Anna wouldn’t have been possible unless she was manipulating his hands.
The Johnsons reported Anna to the police and prosecutors began investigating the allegations. In 2013, Anna was charged with two counts of first degree aggravated sexual assault.
In 2015, Anna was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but in 2017, Anna’s appeal was granted and her conviction revoked, on a technicality.
In her initial trial, the court had dismissed testimony related to facilitated communication because the process was not recognised by science.
Anna accepted a plea deal for a lesser charge and was released from prison after serving two years.
Derrick, now 37, who still lives with his mother Daisy, has not seen Anna since 2011 and he no longer uses facilitated communication.
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