Former Professor Begley on probation – Point Park Globe

Former communications professor James Begley, 37, was sentenced to 90 days of probation in late July after pleading guilty to harassment.

His probation ends next Tuesday, October 29.

In a plea deal, his previous February charges of endangering the welfare of children, simple assault on a victim under 12 and a defendant 18 or older were reduced to harassment.

A lower court also previously withdrew Begley’s charges of unlawful restraint and strangulation, which were also filed in February.

Begley was also charged with two counts of harassment in 2017. He pleaded guilty and was given one year’s probation on each charge in 2021.

Begley was arrested on February 14 this year during an oral communications class he was teaching in Point Park. In addition to oral communication, he also taught lecture composition and communication law.

Zoe Wright, a second-year psychology major and former student of Begley, said the outcome of the whole case was strange.

“It’s strange to think that someone who I consider very professional in his field would get involved in something like this,” Wright said. “But it’s clear that I only saw one side of him during the time I was in his class.”

Since his arrest, Point Park has not brought Begley on board.