LANSING - A jury is expected to begin deliberating Monday in the case against an Ingham County man charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl and accosting another teen girl in separate incidents several years ago at his home.
Kenneth Thomas Tennant, who once coached girls basketball at Webberville High School, developed "inappropriate" relationships with the two girls, who were underage at the time but are now adults, a prosecutor argued Friday.
In one case, Tennant sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in his living room, Assistant Ingham County Prosecutor Nicole Matusko said. In the other, he inappropriately touched a 15-year-old girl who had climbed into bed with him and other children to watch television, the prosecutor said
In both cases, he told the girls he would kill himself if they told anyone, then "showered" them with gifts and gave them money, she said.
"These girls had nothing to gain and everything to lose by coming forward," Matusko said in her closing argument.
Tennant's attorney, Patrick O'Keefe, said the case "is about rumors, gossip and innuendo."
The girls waited years before reporting their accusations and changed their stories over time "to fit a particular narrative." They continued to spend a lot of time with Tennant and his family after the incidents allegedly occurred, he said.
"Wouldn't most girls be worried, 'what if he tries to do it again?'" O'Keefe argued.
Tennant faces one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of accosting or soliciting a child. He would face up to 15 years in prison if convicted as charged.
The trial before visiting Judge Robert Ransom began last Monday in Ingham County Circuit Court. Jurors will hear final instructions and begin deliberating on Monday.
Tennant is a former volunteer assistant girls basketball coach at Webberville. His wife, Kristine, is the varsity girls basketball coach. School officials have said they do not believe Kenneth Tennant was working as a coach when the incidents with the girls were said to have happened.
Both girls were very close to Tennant and his family and spent a lot of time at his home, according to testimony. They were unaware of one another's experiences with Tennant until late 2016 and eventually approached Kristine Tennant with their allegations.
Kristine Tennant informed the district's athletic director, who called police.
Kenneth Tennant took the witness stand on Friday. He acknowledged having a close relationship with both girls but denied doing anything inappropriate with either one.
Something did happen in 2012 while he and one of the girls were in bed with two of his children watching TV, but it wasn't what she described, he said. He said he left the room after she put one of her legs on top of his leg.
“I got instantly a little bit uncomfortable and got up and left,” he testified.
Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel. Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.
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