Ham Lake Church Youth Leader on Trial in Sex Case Involving 14-year-old Girl

By Sarah Horner
Pioneer Press
June 6, 2012

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_20800206/ham-lake-church-youth-leader-trial-sex-case

A racquetball-size lump on Damian Burkhalter's upper thigh could mean the difference between freedom and prison for the former church youth director now on trial, accused of first-degree sexual assault.

In opening remarks in his trial Wednesday, June 6, in Anoka County District Court, the Blaine man's attorney told jurors she will use that large lump to disprove that the 48-year-old Burkhalter repeatedly kissed, touched and had oral sex with a then-14-year-old girl he met in the late summer of 2010, during his time as a youth director for Glen Cary Lutheran Church.

Burkhalter, who worked as a detention sergeant in Hennepin County before taking the job at the Ham Lake church, elected not to have the lump removed.

"The reason that was a life-changing decision is because in the multiple interviews (the girl) has had with Anoka County law enforcement ... she has never been able to identify it," defense attorney Jill Brisbois said.

In trying to help a troubled girl who also was a friend of his daughter's, Burkhalter and his wife reached out and offered support, Brisbois said. At one point they even considered adopting her, and Burkhalter asked that she help out with his work at the church so she could get out of her home.

"He showed her kindness and he showed her love," Brisbois said.

She closed by saying the girl never mentioned the abuse until nearly a year later, in a session with a therapist. Even then, it took another month of questioning by her

counselor, detectives and relatives before she offered a name.

"It was not until she was fed the name of Damian Burkhalter that she came forward and made the allegations," Brisbois said.

Assistant Washington County Attorney Karin McCarthy, who is prosecuting because of a conflict of interest in the Anoka County prosecutor's office, said in her opening statement that Burkhalter used the loving relationship he built with the girl to exploit her.

"(She) thought she found a father figure in Damian Burkhalter, but Damian Burkhalter had other ideas," McCarthy said.

The two got to know each other when the girl was in the eighth grade and Burkhalter was serving as her church's youth director and confirmation teacher. After opening up to him about problems with her home life, she was regularly invited to spend weekends at the Burkhalters' home.

That relationship continued until the two went with a group on a mission trip in June 2010 and then to church-related camp in July, McCarthy said.

"That's when (the) relationship changed ... from a father-daughter relationship to a sexual relationship," McCarthy said.

Initially, the girl resisted Burkhalter's advances, but eventually the two engaged in regular sexual activity, especially after Burkhalter made her his assistant at the church, the prosecutor said. Their relations took place in his office, in the church, at his family's home and in his car, she told the jury.

After their first encounter, McCarthy said, Burkhalter drove the girl home with his hand up her shorts and said "he enjoyed spending time with her."

The girl refrained from telling anyone about what had happened after it stopped because she didn't want Burkhalter "to lose his job," McCarthy said.

Nearly two years have passed since the assaults took place, McCarthy added, telling the jurors the girl will readily admit on the witness stand that she can't recall all the details of what happened.

"But listen to what she says ... her description of the events remains consistent," McCarthy said. "Remember, she was just a 14-year-old girl ... who never thought her youth director ... her father figure would hurt her in such a way."

Sarah Horner can be reached at 651-228-5539. Follow her at twitter.com/hornsarah.

Contact: shorner@pioneerpress.comtwincities.com