John Kufner denied having touched Jane Doe in a sexual way

John Kufner, the man charged with recurring sexual conduct, PC 288.5 (a) took the stand on Friday around 11 a.m.  

The complaint filed by the District Attorney's office alleges that there was "continuous sexual abuse" and that Kufner "engaged in three or more lewd or lascivious acts with Jane Doe, a child he had contact with on and off and who was his foster child for the period when the alleged conduct occurred.

For the hour or so left in the day's session, Mr. Russo and Kufner spent too much time with lengthy monologues restating the same facts we had heard from Jane Doe #1 and her mother about how he first met the girls and how they came to live with him. The details about where he grew up, what jobs he did, how he ended up in Humboldt could have been summarized in a few minutes and had nothing to do with the incident or helpful in any way to Kufner. 

His version was not that different than what Jane Doe # 1 and Jane Doe's mother testified to, with a few exceptions.

They never bad mouthed Kufner. His testimony and Mr. Russo's questions made him look like the rescuer and Jane Doe's parents as someone who left their children with him with no redeeming qualities about either parent. He also spoke about one of his marriages ending and his explanation was that this was because his ex wife ran off with someone she met from the internet. He has previously testified to being married more than once.

Eventually, Mr. Russo asked him about sleeping and camping arrangements and he denied anything sexual. He was asked if he ever touched Jane Doe #1 in a sexual way and he said no and then made a deliberate point to look at the jury and make eye contact after he said no.

His testimony continues tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.