Chad Curtis to trial on 5 sex charges

HASTINGS, Mich. (WOOD) - Former major league outfielder Chad Curtis was ordered to stand trial for five counts of criminal sexual conduct.

The courtroom was closed to both the public and the media while his accusers testified at the preliminary hearing to determine if there was enough evidence against him to merit a trial.

It's alleged he touched two teenage, female students in a locked weight room with no windows at Lakewood High School in Barry County, where he was volunteering and was in line to become the new football coach.

Although the judge made all media cameras leave the courtroom as the alleged victims told their stories, the judge summed up what he heard.

"He at some point, Mr. Curtis, pulls up her sports bra, exposing her breast and rubs her breasts. She also testified that at some point in time he brushed his hand or fingers over her crotch area," said Judge Michael Schipper recapping the students' testimonies.

After hearing that testimony from the 15- and 16-year-old girls, Barry County District Judge Michael Schipper ruled Friday that Curtis is to be tried on five counts of criminal sexual conduct.

Curtis' attorney says one of the girl's stories doesn't add up--considering she maintained a very close relationship with the entire Curtis family after the alleged sexual incidents.

"We've got all of these indicators, your honor, that would be totally inconsistent with a person having suffered some type of unwanted, some type of assaultive behavior," said Curtis' attorney.

But the prosecutor disagreed saying, "And she, I thought, did a fantastic job of saying what the basis of that was and Mr. Curtis had kind of got her into the family in a way to build his trust with her still and in a sense get her to stay quiet about what happened."

Schipper told the 43-year-old Curtis he no longer is allowed to coach his 12-year-old son's travel baseball team.

Defense lawyer David Dodge Sr. previously stated Curtis denies any criminal wrongdoing.

Between 1992 and 2001, Curtis played for the then-California Angels, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. He won two World Series rings with the Yankees.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.