Former Band Director In Court Facing Molestation Charges

Monday, May 14th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

A 16-year-old Muskogee girl testifies in court that she had a sexual relationship with her band teacher. The News On 6â€™s Ashli Sims was the only television reporter in the Muskogee County court. She reports Mondayâ€™s testimony was part of a hearing to decide if there is enough evidence for former Hilldale band director Brian Giacomo to stand trial.

Brian Giacomo is accused of having sexual relationships with two different teenage students. Mondayâ€™s hearing centered around accusations from a student who was 15-years-old at the time of the alleged crime. She says Giacomo was much more than just a teacher.

The teenage accuser says it was at the school bus barn that she first kissed her band director, Brian Giacomo. The girl recounted, often through tears, her sexual contact with her teacher. She told the court one Thursday afternoon last fall, the relationship escalated, when she went to Giacomo's house. She described going into a back bedroom, where Giacomo laid on top of her and touched her sexually.

The 16-year-old said she and Giacomo communicated online through his MySpace page and MSN instant messenger every day. She says they talked online about sex, several times, but she couldn't recall any specific conversations.

Her memory of events was a big part of cross examination. The defense attorney questioned her about the room in Giacomo's house, but she couldn't clearly remember details like the color of the bedspread. And she was also unclear about the timeline of some events.

The defense claims the 16-year-old initially denied the exact accusations that she now calls the truth. She admitted she told her principal that Giacomo never touched her. But she says, she told the principal that to protect Giacomo.

The 16-year-old accuser is the only witness to testify, so far. The hearing will resume on Wednesday morning when several more witnesses could be called.

Watch the video: Hearing Held For Former Band Director Accused Of Molestation

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