Former RPD officer’s sexual conduct trial opens with motions on evidence
(ABC 6 News) – A former Rochester police officer’s trial begins with jury selection Monday, Jan. 6.
Late last week, Timothy Morgenstern’s defense moved to discuss medical treatment the alleged juvenile witness was undergoing when she spoke to a therapist about her sexual relationship with the police officer and coach.
Morgenstern’s defense claims, in their filing, that they may argue that the former police officer and coach made himself available to the juvenile at all hours, but not out of “inappropriate sexual interest,” using information about the minor’s home life.
The prosecution filed motions to keep the defense from discussing any therapy or treatment the alleged juvenile victim underwent, as well as referring to the victim’s home life or grades as “any resulting negative inferences are irrelevant and/or more prejudicial than relevant.”
The prosecution also moved to limit attacks on the juvenile victim’s character, and to sequester, or separate, all witnesses.
Olmsted County judge Erin Felten also ruled Monday that potential jurors would fill out a confidential form detailing their experience, or lack thereof, with sexual assault and rape so the court could better assess their impartiality.
Felten had not ruled on the motions concerning evidence and lines of questioning by the afternoon of Jan. 6.
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(ABC 6 News) – A trial date for a former RPD officer and Rochester Public Schools coach accused of sexual conduct with a minor and soliciting sexual images from the minor is set for early January.
The charges against Timothy Morgenstern were originally brought back in January of 2023 but after years of delays, the former police officer is finally going to trial.
Related: Former RPD officer’s trial rescheduled for June
Morgenstern’s charges stem from an alleged relationship back in 2022 with an unidentified student of his who was 16 years old at the time.
Court documents say the student had discussed the relationship with a therapist, who in turn reported it to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office.
The documents go on to say Morgenstern and the student allegedly exchanged explicit photos and videos of each other, and Morgenstern allegedly invited the student to his home June of that year where the two had sex.
Morgenstern denied any involvement with the student, but was fired by RPD shortly after and the case was handed off to Fillmore County for an investigation to avoid conflicts of interest.
Morgenstern’s trial is set for Monday, January 6, though that could change with the assignment of a new judge to the case.
However, both attorneys and the court have said this case is high priority and they wish to see it resolved as soon as possible.