Two former co-workers of Jatten Heinen and his former supervisor have just finished testifying for the defense.
All three said they never saw Heinen, a former day care worker, do anything inappropriate with any of the children and they never had a child tell them he did anything to them – such as touch them or kiss them. One of the girls Heinen is accused of molesting has testified that she told Y workers that Heinen kissed her and molested her.
Joni Grant, who was also a leader of Heinen’s group of children, testified that she was with him most of the time and he was always professional with the children. She said the police did not speak with her about the allegations against Heinen, but agreed with prosecutors that she is a mandatory reporter and would have reported any abuse had she seen any.
Tara Benson, Heinen’s former supervisor, testified that she addressed the issue of children hanging on Heinen during a July 2 staff meeting after seeing such an incident involving girls clinging to Heinen. Benson testified Heinen seemed overwhelmed by the attention and she brought it up as a safety issue for all the staff members.
Under cross-examination from the prosecution, Benson testified that she has remained neutral about the alleged incidents at the Y West. Defense attorney Bruce Quick strongly objected to prosecutor Ryan Younggren’s question about whether having four children molested by someone under Benson’s supervision would be one of the worst things that could ever happen to her professionally. The judge overruled the objection, saying it goes to a potential bias. Benson responded to the question, saying that she has been very neutral, "I think it’s a bad situation for everyone involved."
I think that it is pathetic to bring Jatten’s former supervisor into the line of fire. She was clearly unaware of the allegations that had occurred, and for Ryan to state that this ruined her career is pathetic! The prosecution has nothing on this man, they are trying to scrape up everything they have, which is clearly nothing at all if they stoop to such an abyss!
Interesting! So now I guess that all the Adults testifying are lying.
We know,
its called grasping at straws, they don’t have a case and they know it has holes, bigtime
Well, you know that unless they are 100% on the side of this sick bastard, then they are liars! Sad that they are blinded!
Sick Bastard…boy oh boy, I could go with that one. I’m just glad I have class. Enough said.
Sad that just because the girls made up stories that they told other employees- that they employees are now the liars?? Hmm… let’s take a look at the facts- you truly believe that a supervisor/employee would let something like this go unnoticed? Really? Sick bastard.. I’ll agree Katie, Class Class Class!
The former supervisor should have been one of the first people questions by the Police…..faulty investigating !!!
And, the only sick bastards out there are the people who actually think that this poor kid did anything to these girls…..All of which would have been BOLDLY in front of other Y workers and children!
Please keep these posts clean, without calling Jatten “bastard”. I am talking to you…”We also know the truth..the real truth!!”. There are family members reading these posts too. After all, he is “Accused”…not Guilty! Thanks to those of you who are sympathetic to Jatten and his family. We are greatful that there are some who are open minded and don’t automatically believe people are guilty until proven innocent.
It is not uncommon for a sex offender to offend in public when he knows no one is looking or there is a towel or blanket covering the action. What better defense – “How could I? We were in public.” I can’t think of one reason these girls would make up the abuse, or why a parent would want to put these ideas into their child’s head. How would the supervisor know what was going on? Sexual abuse occurs in secrecy and the offender certainly isn’t going to admit he did it. The girls saying ‘they told’ other adults might mean they told someone he makes them uncomfortable, or he tickled them…in their minds they told about the abuse, when actually it wasn’t clear at all to the adults what the kids actually meant by their words. I also know the states attorneys office doesn’t take on a case unless there is convincing evidence of a crime. It is extremely rare for a child to make up sexual abuse, much more several children to accuse the same person, if is isn’t true. Sex offenders choose to work at places where kids are…maybe the girls liked him so much because of ‘grooming’ behaviors, which include being really nice. Family and friends of sex offenders often can’t face that this ‘nice’ person could be abusive because this would blow their world apart, confirm that the world is not a safe place and the people you love could be capable of such a crime. We’d all like to think we’d know, we’d be able to tell if someone was a sex offender. You can’t tell by looking at them or any of their positive behavior…you can only tell by being willing to recognize their abusive behavior and when several little girls are saying the same thing…I’m inclined to believe it.
A Family Member
His family is not the only one that is looking at this. What do YOU suppose the families of these girls feel with all your postings? Calling the girls liars, is it fair for “your” family to vocalize but not theirs? This is not just one sided and people have a right to how they think and feel just as much as you and your family do!
Ryan’s an idiot. If he tries to get one more person to say in some way, shape or form that maybe, if someone was in at a 47 degree angle from a green couch, slouching slightly behind a bookcase and under a sign that says “math” (or some type of equally convoluted question) then I will potentially spontaneously combust.
People have a right to think and feel whatever they want, but when it inflicts upon another person’s right to think and feel whatever they want, then that’s when it becomes an issue. The only crime committed here is the crime against Jatten, inflicted upon him by these girls.
Your inclination, insightful at best, means nothing except in the court of public opinion
I do believe that people have called Jatten a liar?? The family has kept it very clean, trust me. Just giving their opinion…in a clean and classy way. We are not stooping to call eachother/the other side, names. One could say a lot in these situations. Time will tell, if you can’t debate on something intellectual, don’t be debating.
To “No Loss”…that was my first post. I believe the people posting and calling the girls liars are aquaintances of Jatten, not family. The family has been considerate of everyones feelings, including the girls and everyone else who has been involved (witnesses etc.). All I was asking was to keep it clean, from everyone.
It’s very apparent to anyone who’s reading these blogs that some of the comments that have been posted are by aquaintances of Jatten. Which leaves to believe that they are all but 18-22 years old, imature at best. Keep this thought in the back of your mind when YOUR 7 year old son or daughter comes home one day and says Tommy the teacher was rubbing the inside of my leg. Are you as a parent going to flat out call your son or daughter a liar, right to there face, and dismiss there comment? It sure seams a little strange to me that nothing has happened at the Y like this until Jatten showed up. As far as the prosecution and the defense, both have there tricks up there sleave to get the witness to say what they want to say, nothing new in the legal world.
hey for everyone out there who blogs on here all day long waiting for more and more comments to come up…..get a life….if you do not know him….back off. i agreee that you cannot tell just by looking at someone whether they are guilty or not.. but i can tell you that kowing him my whole life you would know. i agree with everyone who is capable of admitting he is innocent until proven guilty.
this goes out to jatten—– fight as hard as you can. never back down for something you believe.
sincerely, wuldnt you like to know
LOVE YA
I agree with educated about the crime of sexual abuse. Some of you need to think before you open your mouths and blast these little girls. Why would any child say a man they trusted touched their privates?????? Children cannot create sexual activity!!! Their brains are incapable of this! The reason sexual abuse continues in our society is because they are GOOD at it. Just because there may have been adults nearby does not mean it could not have happened. I know of many cases where it happened when adults were within feet of the abuse. Do any of you really know anyone but yourself? NO you don’t! Knowing someone their whole life does not tell you what they think or what their actions are when you are not around/looking.
Ryan is a wonderful attorney with a passion for his work. Unlike some of you, he and others believe children over adults.
My heart goes out to Jatten’s family and the little girls and their families, BUT it does not go out to HIM.
Ask yourselves this question: Who has anything to gain from lying, the girls or Jatten?
JATTEN!
Being Jatten’s supervisor, she was responsible for following the Policy manual in place and seeing to it that her underligs did same. It’s called “supervision”. So loosely followed policy invites trouble. I wonder why the Board of Directors of the Y bothered to develop a manual and the employees saw fit to ignore it. No touching does not mean a little bit is ok. The personnel of the Y need to be held accountable so child predators are not allowed the luxury of accessibility to innocent children.
What policy didn’t they follow? What touching did they allow? How do childcares prevent this from happening? If someone has never done this before, how would the Y have found out? He doesn’t have a record, so what could they have done differently?
They Y follows policy very tightly, and touching a child inappropriately is simply UNACCEPTABLE. It is ridiculous to blame a supervisor or workers for what someone else did or didn’t do. They are not there to watch workers, they are there to watch the children.
Sadly, things like this can happen and sometimes there isn’t anything anyone can do. If it was noticeable to others-they would have reported it. People that work in daycares are mandated reporters. If they didn’t report it, they would be in a lot of trouble themselves. Plus, they all LOVE children so why would any of them let something like this go?! If Jatten really did this-HE is the one to blame, not the Y.
Testimony revealed at least one complaint from a child that reached a supervisor. Meeting held for all. No direct private instruction to person involved in the complaint Supervisors need to act not give lip service. Lap sittig, kissing, back rubs, all mention in manual as inappropriate. I can’t imagine this subject was ignored at orientation which all workers attend.
Father of 3…. I respect your thoughts and I concur on what you stated on most of your blog. But for the record I am 44, and a father in a professional setting. Yes you are probably correct some hear are friends of both sides, but its a blog for all parties, to express, convey, and vent. But I really think you shouldn’t put people into categories, it denies our uniqueness.
Father of 3… First of all I am for neither side, but I hope that justice prevails and my heart and prayers go out to both families. If you think children between the ages of 6-10 cannot conjure of sexual thoughts or ideas, or even take a seemingly small fib and have it mushroom into something of this magnitude, you haven’t apparently been in an elementary school setting lately. Being a substitute teacher for over 20 years I could tell you things that would make you blush. Some of the notes alone, that I have intercepted have been quite graphic, even pornographic in nature. Its sad, but real.
This is to “beth” and “we also know the truth…the real truth” …
Who are you to call the YMCA workers liars? Were you at the YMCA from open to close Mon-Fri in the summer of 2007 to watch the employees and report what they did or did not see? I think not. You have no idea what those workers saw. So quick to judge you both are because what they said was not what you wanted to hear. YOU CANNOT MAKE SOMEBODY SEE SOMETHING THEY DID NOT SEE! Just so you know, most of the employees there are EDUCATION MAJORS. Do you seriously believe they would withhold and lie about sexual abuse? They are mandatory reporters and would have a lot more than you know at risk if they chose to lie about this. Shame on you both for such accusations against these workers who testified in TRUTH what they saw.
What a Shame
Maybe you better get your facts straight on who you are bashing! Never have I stated that those at the YMCA are liars.
Watch out who you shame……perhaps point that finger at your self!
We also know the truth,
it would be wise to take your own advice, know one forced you to blog, if you can’t take the criticism then maybe turn on Live with Regis and Kelly
We also know the truth.. the real truth-
my apologies on blaming you. i did misread your comment and took “they” as a comment stemmed off of “beth” who said all the adults testifying were lying. again, my apologies.
What a shame
Thank you for your apology!
Haymaker…..I can take criticism, but I was not part of that remark. Big Difference!
I think he did it. FOUR girls accused him, not just one. Kids that little don’t usually make that stuff up.
By the way, you might as call this blog…”Jatten’s friends & family blog.”
Anyone who believes Jatten is as sick as him. Dont sit here & tell me if that was your child you wouldnt take their side. Jatten has every reason to lie, like every other sick bastard who wants to get off on over-powering innocent girls.
this is exactly why girls and women who are sexually assaulted or raped dont come forward! No one believes them, & its like a slap in the face when a jury basically says “your lying” by setting their Rapist back into the community. Its disgusting.