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But Brad Calbo, Howard’s defense attorney, painted the victim’s parents as liars who were financially motivated, drawing attention to their $10m civil rights suit against the school district and its officials and suggesting they coerced their fragile son into committing perjury.
In an unexpected and bizarre twist, the defense attorney played a tape of the victim appearing to recant his earlier statements that was recorded by his football coaches.
“I don’t think you guys should have to lose your farms,” the victim told his football coaches in the discussion, which occurred following an argument with his parents. “It was never my intention. I was fed stuff, fed lies ... I was pressured.”
The victim continued, after being questioned about his parents’ intent, that “it’s always been about the money, it’s always been about the $10m. I love you guys to death.”
The victim “was not raped”, said a vehement Calbo. “No one has ever been accused of raping [him] period with the notable exception of [his] mother. [He] never claimed he was raped. [He] was not pinned down while a hanger was forcibly inserted in his rectum.” In fact, Calbo said, Howard helped the victim with his homework and “John loves him today despite all of this nonsense”.
Schlender said that his client was coerced by the coaches into making such statements about his family. “The coaches knew he was mentally disabled and taking major anti-psychotic medication,” when they pressed the victim and recorded the conversation, according to a document filed in the civil case.
Part of the audio recording that Calbo did not mention in court Friday was the victim saying, according to the civil document, “I honestly don’t know who did the hanger thing. Who did the, who held me, I was, I don’t know. All I know is that it happened.”