A jury was seated Thursday in the trial of a former teacher at the Gilman School who’s accused of sexually abusing a student and recording explicit videos.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen McGuinn and Christopher Nieto, one of Chris Bendann’s attorneys, are set to deliver their opening statements Friday.
McGuinn said she then expects to call a number of witnesses, including the student. He’s now an adult.
Bendann, 40, of Baltimore, is charged in U.S. District Court in Baltimore with sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child pornography and cyberstalking. He worked from 2007 to 2023 at the private, independent all-boys school in Roland Park.
From the beginning, Bendann has maintained his innocence.
Unlike earlier in the week when he refused to leave his cell at the Chesapeake Detention Facility, Bendann showed up in court. He sat between his attorneys wearing a navy sport coat, gray pants and yellow tie. He flipped through binders and took notes.
Bendann has said he will attend parts of his trial but skip other portions.
U.S. Senior District Judge James K. Bredar is presiding over the case, which is expected to last about two weeks.
