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Trial against former Gilman School teacher begins

U.S. DISTRICT COURTHOUSE IN DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE. THE TRIAL BEGAN WITH OPENING ARGUMENTS, AND THE GOVERNOR OPENED BY CALLING ACCUSED CHRISTOPHER BRANDON A CLEANER. THE ACCUSED WAS THE MINOR VICTIM'S EIGHTH-GRADE CLIENTS, HISTORY TEACHER AND COUNSELOR AT GILMAN. PROSECUTORS ALLEGED HE USED THIS POSITION OF TRUST TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ABUSE AND TO SECRETLY RECORD AND LATER BLACKMAIL THE BOY EVEN AFTER HE HAD GONE TO COLLEGE. BRANDON, PROSECUTORS SAID, TRACKED THE VICTIM USING GEOLOCATION DATA FROM HIS IPHONE AND MESSAGING APPS, AND ORGANIZED GROUPS OF GILMAN BOYS FOR LATE-NIGHT HANGOUTS OFF CAMPUS, NAKED RUNS THAT HE RECORDED. THE ALLEGED VICTIM, NOW 23, TESTIFIED TODAY AND SAID HE DIDN'T INTEND TO DO ANY OF IT BUT DID IT ANYWAY BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID. THE DEFENSE ADMITTED THE CYBERSTALKING CHARGE IN ITS OPENING BUT CALLED THE OTHER CLAIMS FALSE AND THEN DISPERSED THE BLAMES AROUND BY CLAIMING BRANDON WAS INEXPERIENCED AND SAID THIS WAS HIS FIRST ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP. ALSO BLAMING GILMAN'S ISLAND SHAREDNESS. OUTSIDERS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TRADITIONS, THE DEFENSE SAID, INCLUDING LOCKER ROOM TALK. YOU KNOW, BOYS WILL BE BOYS, JUST A GUY POSTING NAKED PICTURES OF EACH OTHER FOR A LAUGH ON SNAPCHAT. THE FIRST TWO WITNESSES CALLED BY THE GOVERNMENT TODAY WERE THE ALLEGED VICTIM'S PARENTS. IN THIS CASE, THE MOTHER AND THE FATHER. BOTH SAID THEY WERE WORKING AT GILMAN AT THE TIME, AND THE MOTHER SAID SHE WENT TO WORK ON A MONDAY AND FOUND OUT BRANDON HAD BEEN SUSPENDED. BUT SHE SAID NO ONE TOLD HER OR HER HUSBAND. THE CONNECTION OF THE SUSPENSION TO HER SON AT THE U.

Opening statements in trial of former Gilman School teacher, who is accused of nine counts

The trial of 40-year-old Christopher Bendann began in earnest on Friday. The former history teacher at Gilman School is accused of nine counts, including sexual extortion of minors, child pornography and cyberstalking. The government initially portrayed Bendann as a sex offender. He was the underage victim's eighth-grade history teacher and counselor at Gilman University and used that position of trust to manipulate, sexually abuse, secretly film and later blackmail the boy, even after he went to college, prosecutors told the jury.Bendann “tracked the victim using geolocation data” from his iPhone and messaging apps, prosecutors said.Prosecutors also said he organized groups of Gilman boys for nighttime nude outings off campus, which he recorded.The alleged victim, now 23, testified and said he didn't mean to do it but did it anyway because he was scared.The defense admitted the cyberstalking charge in its opening statement but called the other claims bogus before shifting blame to others.Bendann's defense attorney said he was “inexperienced” and it was his first romantic relationship.They also blamed Gilman's close-minded nature that outsiders don't understand, including “locker room banter” and “boys will be boys.”Just “a bunch of guys posting nude pictures of each other on Snapchat for fun,” the defense said.The government's first two witnesses were the alleged victim's parents — both of whom worked in Gilman's administration at the time, the mother told the jury.When she first learned Bendann had been suspended, no one had informed her or her husband of the connection to her son, the mother said.

BALTIMORE —

The trial against 40-year-old Christopher Bendann began in earnest on Friday.

The former Gilman School history teacher faces nine charges, including sexual extortion of minors, child pornography and cyberstalking.

The government initially portrayed Bendann as a sex offender. He was the underage victim's eighth-grade history teacher and mentor at Gilman School and used that position of trust to manipulate, sexually abuse, secretly film and later blackmail the boy, even after he went to college, prosecutors told the jury.

Bendann tracked the victim “using the geolocation data” of his iPhone and messaging apps, the indictment said.

Prosecutors also said he organized groups of Gilman boys for nightly nude runs off campus and filmed it.

The alleged victim, now 23 years old, stated that he did not want to do it but did it anyway out of fear.

In its opening statement, the defense admitted the charge of cyberstalking, but called the other allegations lies before shifting the blame to others.

Bendann's defense attorney said he was “inexperienced” and it was his first romantic relationship.

They also blamed Gilman for his narrow-minded nature that outsiders don't understand, including “locker room banter” and “boys will be boys.”

“Just a couple of guys posting nude pictures of each other on Snapchat for fun,” the defense said.

The government's first two witnesses were the alleged victim's parents – both of whom worked in Gilman's administration at the time, the mother told the jury.

When she learned of Bendann's suspension, no one informed her or her husband about the connection to her son, the mother said.

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