An October trial date was set on Monday for a former Bloomington piano teacher accused of sexually assaulting his students and recording his lewd interactions with them.
Aaron Parlier, 40, was charged in 2018 with 38 felony counts, including predatory sexual assault of a minor and child pornography. Charges contain allegations spanning from 2009 to 2016.
The Oct. 12 jury trial on 10 counts of child pornography will be the first of six trials for Parlier on felony charges that could amount to a life sentence, if he is convicted.
In setting the first trial date, Judge Casey Costigan told lawyers to expect firm deadlines in the months leading up to the trial.
In noting his previous ruling that Parlier is entitled to separate trials on the allegations related to six alleged victims, Costigan said, “We will have a number of trials. This is a 2018 case. The court is ready to get things moving.”
The fall date will allow prosecutor Erika Reynolds to complete work on several pending murder trials before the start of the Parlier case. Defense lawyer Adam Bolotin agreed to the trial date.
In an October hearing on the witness issue, Reynolds argued that jurors should hear “the whole story here.”
Police began their investigation into Parlier’s alleged sexual advances after school staff alerted authorities about a poem written by one his students about her experience with him, according to police.
One potential witness is expected to share details of a years-long sexual relationship she had with Parlier, according to the state. Parlier admitted to police he had sent a sexually explicit photo of himself to a girl for her opinion before forwarding it on to his girlfriend, Reynolds told the state.
Another girl told authorities Parlier may have videotaped her as she practiced the piano while nude.
Bolotin has challenged the state’s efforts to bring witnesses to the stand beyond those named in charges. Such testimony could be confusing to jurors and prejudicial to Parlier, he said.
An April 9 hearing is scheduled to review the status of the case.
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