Girl calls foul
Coach Krajewski claims innocence

ALBANY — John Krajewski is maintaining his innocence while the father of the girl who claims he raped her says he is eager "for justice to be done."

A year after his arrest, John Krajewski, 26, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Albany County Court on Tuesday morning. A grand jury last Friday indicted him on charges stemming from allegations of a sexual relationship that he had with a 14-year-old girl. She played on a basketball team that he coached at St. Matthew’s Church, and Krajewski babysat for her family.

On Jan. 23, 2006, State Police arrested Krajewski for rape and the Voorheesville School District fired him from his job as a teacher’s aide in the elementary school. Voorheesville Superintendent Linda Langevin said yesterday that it was a coincidence that Krajewski was fired from his job the same night that he was arrested; he did not have the proper certification to be a teaching assistant, she said.

Christopher Rutnik, Krajewski’s lawyer, said that he has since been working for an insurance company.

Krajewski has been out on $25,000 bail since his arrest; that bail was continued at Tuesday’s arraignment. He is charged with three counts of second-degree rape, a felony; two counts of second-degree criminal sexual act, also a felony; and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

His client wants a trial, said Rutnik. Krajewski won’t take a plea bargain; he wants to exonerate himself, Rutnik said.

Although it’s a risk to go to trial, Rutnik said, because of the uncertainty of what the jury’s decision will be, Krajewski will take the chance.
"Some juries may take an adverse look upon a witness’s testimony and the unexpected occurs," said Rutnik. "You just can’t have any guarantees in a jury system."

Testifying before the grand jury was difficult for the girl, her father said, but she knows that it was necessary.

The Enterprise has a policy of withholding the names and identities of sex crime victims.
"She was upset," her father said Friday, on hearing news of the indictment. "She has some type of feelings for this man." But, he went on, "She knows he needs to pay." The family is gearing up for a trial, although her father said that they would consider a plea bargain if it includes prison time in a state penitentiary.

Any plea deal that the Albany County District Attorney’s Office would offer Krajewski would take into consideration the wishes of the girl’s family, said Heather Orth, spokesperson for the office.
"He does not want to plead to anything that he did not do," Rutnik said. "He’s innocent."
Although the DA’s office would not comment on evidence in the case, the girl’s father said, "We have tons of people" who witnessed stuff."
Rutnik said that it is early in the process so he doesn’t know of any evidence other than the accusations made by the girl. "The facts will show that these allegations " were born in the mind of a troubled 14-year-old," he said.
"I have no doubt in my mind that man did whatever my daughter said. He needs to pay the price," said her father, explaining that she would testify in court and the family would do all they could to get a guilty verdict.
"The jury is going to have to assess the credibility of this young girl when she testifies," said Rutnik. "We’re confident that the jury will discredit her."
The girl’s family moved to South Carolina after the incident and has been back for the grand jury proceedings. "I had no desire to leave where I was. We started a whole new life" It’s not easy," said the girl’s father. "She couldn’t function here," he said of Voorheesville.

He said other students at school were nasty to her after the allegations were made public, particularly members of the basketball team that Krajewski volunteered with at the high school. Langevin said that she hadn’t heard anything this week from students at the school.
The move has helped his daughter, her father said. "She has a great support group. She’s doing OK," he said, adding, "This needs to be resolved. It’s a year later. She wants it done."
The last year has been hard for Krajewski, too, who has no prior offenses, said Rutnik. "For someone that’s never been involved in the criminal justice system, it’s horribly traumatic," he said.
"It’s just horrible because I loved that damn guy like a brother, like a son," said the girl’s father. "He was welcome in our house, he was helping both of our girls."

Krajewski signed an order of protection as a condition of bail and is scheduled to be in county court again on March 13.