CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — The lead investigator who looked into allegations of sex crimes committed by a popular high school coach was grilled on the stand Thursday.
The coach's attorney spent hours picking apart investigation and highlighting discrepancies in the case.
Reporter Dave Faherty will be keeping up with the latest on the trial. Follow him for updates on Twitter using #JohnsonTrial.
The testimony focused on how the detective questioned former students and why she didn't dig deeper after learning at least two of the victims had possibly "made things up" in the past.
Standing next to the detective, attorney Lisa Dubs tried to find out what police did during their investigation of former coach Shawn Johnson.
"Could you read that and see if that refreshes your recollection," Dubs said.
Dubs told the jury the father of one of the victims said she "told some lies and hurt people in the past" but claimed police didn't check DSS or juvenile records after learning the information.
"He said it was when she was 12. I didn't think it was relevant," Detective Lori Dinguss, with Hickory police, said.
The judge had to intervene several times as Johnson's attorney pressed forward about another victim who was described as "liking attention, drama and making things up."
"I didn't think it was relevant to look into everything these girls did their entire lives. And I wasn't going to do that. That was not the issue," Dinguss said.
Dubs also asked Dinguss about different versions of how of that same former student claimed she was fondled by the coach in an equipment room at the school.
The cross-examination focused on whether the investigator asked leading questions of one of the alleged victims after being named a detective three days before she was assigned the high profile case.
"I didn't try to talk anybody into saying anything. I only wanted them to tell me what the truth was," Dinguss said.
Channel 9 is still waiting to find out if the former coach will take the stand. His attorney told the jury during her opening statements they would hear from him in this case.
- Sept. 10: Defense focuses on contradictory statements in Johnson trial
- Sept. 9: Lead investigator questioned in trial of coach accused of sex crimes
- Sept. 8: Lead investigator testifies in trial of coach accused of sex crimes
- Sept. 5: Former principal admits not calling police on alleged sex crime
- Sept. 4: School may have known about sex crime allegations against coach
- Sept. 2: Police Sgt. testifies in case of former HS coach accused of sex crimes
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