State moves to keep KM paraprofessional’s defense from speculating about sexual history of juvenile alleged victims
Photo illustration: court gavel / MGN
(ABC 6 News) – The State of Minnesota filed a long list of requests ahead of the criminal sexual conduct trial for a former Kasson-Mantorville paraprofessional.
Kian Sean Moran, 24, was charged with 2nd-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child, a charge of 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct–nonconsensual sexual contact, and a charge of disorderly conduct after multiple 11- and 12-year-olds accused him of groping them in the classroom and hallways.
His pretrial hearing took place Wednesday, Feb. 7.
At that hearing, the state of Minnesota’s representative, Kailee Thompson, asked the court to prohibit the defense from certain actions during trial — such as “inquiring about the victim’s prior sexual history” or asserting an opinion about the truthfulness of the young witnesses during trial.
The state moved to forbid the defense to “extract promise(s) on how to decide the case” while questioning potential jury members.
The motion also requested that the defense be prohibited from urging the jury to “disregard the law in favor of their individual judgement” or comment on possible punishment that could be levied against the defendant if a guilty verdict is returned.
The prosecution also requested that the alleged victims, who were ages 11 and 12 at the time of the alleged groping and molestation incidents, be referred to by initials or “Child ___” during the transcripts of the court proceedings.
Moran’s jury trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 12.