According to Visalia Times Delta, a former basketball coach at Tulare Western High School, faces charges after allegations surfaced that he sexually abused a student. Denny is a walk-on coach; he does not teach any classes. He coaches boys and girls basketball teams from 2018-2020.
Alec Denny, 25-years-old, faces multiple charges: three counts of oral sex with a person under 16, three counts of oral sex with a person under 18, two counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object with someone under 18, one count of unlawful sexual intercourse, contact with a minor for a sexual offense, distributing or showing pornography to a minor, and meeting a minor for lewd purposes.
The crimes allegedly occurred between November 2019 and August 2020 with a student at Tulare Western. Denny has been arraigned and remains behind bars on $1.1 million bail.
Attorney Commentator Jason Amala, an experienced sexual assault attorney, represents victims sexually abused by school employees. Bobby provided insight about the rights of victims sexually abused by a coach and whether they have grounds for a lawsuit.
“Schools and administrations have a legal obligation to protect their students. We have seen numerous school sexual abuse cases across the country. Teachers, coaches, and other school staff are often found guilty of sexual abuse after using their positions of trust and power to get near and abuse children. Schools must uphold their legal obligation to protect student’s safety and limit the chance of danger and sexual abuse by a coach or other staff.”
“Victims and their families should ask if a school did their best to prevent the abuse from happening. Schools should implement safety measures to provide a safe environment. For example, adequate background checks and security cameras help provide safety for students. If a school does not properly implement safety policies and prevent sexual assaults, they may be considered liable for negligence. In such cases, victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit.”