Trial under way for man accused of assaulting child at YMCA

A brisk jury selection Monday and concise opening statements marked the first day of the trial of former swim instructor Kevin Skowron, charged with assaulting a 4-year-old at a Palatine YMCA last year.

Two issues underscore this trial, said Assistant State's Attorney Mike Gerber in his opening statement: a betrayal of trust and the death of innocence.

That happened when "Mr. Skowron, her trusted teacher" assaulted the victim during a swim lesson at the Buehler YMCA on the morning of Nov. 22, 2008, Gerber said.

Afterward, "she did something 4-year-old children don't normally do; she told her mother," said Gerber.

The mother then called her husband, "and he did what any father would do; he walked up to Mr. Skowron and knocked him out," Gerber said.

Defense attorney Tim Murphy disputed the charges against his client in his opening statement Monday afternoon.

"Nobody saw anything unusual happen whatsoever," said Murphy who told jurors that no conclusive evidence links Skowron, 22, to the alleged incident.

Skowron, of the 1800 block of West Ashbury Lane, Inverness, twice denied the allegation, but the child's father punched him anyway, Murphy said. During interviews at the Palatine police station, Skowron repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, Murphy said.

Gerber said Skowron made a statement implicating himself. But Murphy countered, stating that Skowron made the statement after enduring 12 hours of questioning from the police.

"Pay attention to what you hear and what you don't hear," said Murphy, adding except for the father's statement, prosecutors have no medical reports, lab reports or eyewitness reports to indicate that anything improper happened that morning, Murphy said.

The trial's first day concluded with testimony from Palatine police officer Mark Dahlem who said he arrived at the YMCA about 9:45 a.m. on Nov. 22 and encountered Skowron holding an ice pack to his face. Dahlem testified that Skowron did not indicate he was in pain and did not request medical attention.

The jury that will determine Skowron's fate is composed of four women and 10 men ranging from their mid-thirties to mid-sixties. At least three jurors have no children.

Testimony resumes Tuesday in Rolling Meadows courtroom 109.