Testimony Begins in Tennent Teacher Trial

Phillyburbs.com reports that after Monday's pre-trial motions and jury selection, testimony began Tuesday in the trial of Tyrone Dinkins, a former music teacher at William Tennent who has been accused of indecent assault, harassment and corruption of minors. Police arrested Dinkins last June over accusations of inappropriately touching or making suggestive comments to eight female students.

According to phillyburbs.com, Judge Jeffrey Finley denied the defense attorney's motion to suppress statements Dinkins made to police officers when they arrived at his home in June 2012 to arrest him. According to police reports, Dinkins admitted to committing some of the acts, including touching a students' breasts. 

In court Monday, Dinkins testified he was under the impression that he was under arrest and thought he was compelled by police to answer questions, the article says. Dinkins' attorneys said that police never advised him of his rights not to speak to officers without an attorney present, but prosecutors countered that he had not been placed under arrest at the time and that Dinkins spoke freely.

Students took the stand on Tuesday and recounted incidents of hugging, groping, suggestive comments, inappropriate texts and flirting, according to Phillyburbs.com. Dinkins' attorney told the jury that the first accusations came from girls holding a grudge against Dinkins for not being selected to the Madrigals choir or the school musical.

Prosecutor Maureen Spang said that Dinkins' acts were criminal and treated the girls as sexual objects rather than students.

Read the full article at phillyburbs.com