Prosecutors withdraw plea offer, hint at additional victims in Durham gymnastics sex assault case
A man who spent 15 years coaching elite gymnastics turned himself in to the Durham County Magistrate’s Office on a fourth charge of taking indecent liberties with a minor at Bull City Gymnastics.
Stephen Maness, 41, was booked into jail and released on Dec. 15 following a court appearance in which his attorney asked a judge to enforce a plea offer that prosecutors have withdrawn.
Maness was initially charged in February 2021 with three counts each of taking indecent liberties and sexual battery after three former gymnasts accused the coach of inappropriate touching over several years.
While Bull City Gymnastics is still in operation, Maness is listed as “ineligible” by the U.S. Center for Safe-Sport and he's banned from coaching at any gym affiliated with USA Gymnastics.
Court documents allege the abuse occurred over several years.
Melissa Owen, the defense attorney representing Maness, said any physical contact at Bull City Gymnastics was not sexually motivated.
"We don't believe it's inappropriate touching,” Owen said. “We believe it's touching that is consistent with the sport. It may have been touching that was unwanted, which makes it an assault, but that is different than any sexually inappropriate touching."
In March, prosecutors presented a plea offer that reduced the felony charges to three counts each of misdemeanor assault on a child, assault on a female and child abuse.
Judge Cynthia Sturges did not accept or reject the offer. Sturges raised concern that Maness would not have to register as a sex offender as part of the plea deal and referred the decision to another judge.
Since then, prosecutors have withdrawn the plea deal entirely.
On Dec. 15, Maness’ attorneys appeared in Durham County Superior Court and asked North Carolina Superior Court Judge John Dunlow to enforce the plea offered in March.
Assistant District Attorney Brooks Stone argued that the plea was never formally accepted and “potential additional victims” have come forward since the last hearing.
Owen argued that her client already admitted guilt to the lesser charges, which could taint a potential jury.
"We can't allow the state to walk away from a deal that my client has held up every single aspect that he agreed to hold up and then they are trying to change the game after-the-fact,” Owen said. “Extensive steps have taken place to comply with this plea agreement, to enter this plea agreement and [Maness] has held up his end of the bargain and the State needs to be held to their obligations under this plea.”
Tiffany Hambright, whose daughter is one of the accusers, said the families involved want Maness to be required to register as a sex offender.
“It has been really difficult waiting for a resolution — especially for the young victims who are trusting in us as parents and the court system to ensure their offender makes reparations for his crimes and that every protection possible is put in place to protect the public from his offending again,” Hambright said. “I try to look at all of the delays in a positive light because it has actually given other victims and individuals with relevant information the time they needed to be ready to speak up, and has, ultimately, strengthened our case considerably.”
After nearly two years, the accusers said are hopeful the case will be settled soon.
"There's a lot of trauma [and] PTSD. I know being touched like that you are going to have trauma, and you might have a hard time finding relationships and connecting with people in a physical way,” said Abigail Davis, a former gymnastic and close friend of the four accusers.
Dunlow did not make a decision about whether or not to enforce the initial plea offer. He took the case under advisement and said he would issue a decision outside of court.
