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Sex with high school American Football player was ‘consensual’, according to coach’s wife
Kelsey McCarter, the wife of a Tennessee high school American Football coach, has denied claims rape insisting instead that a prolonged affair with a 16-year-old player was entirely consensual.
This comes despite McCarter, 29, pleading guilty to six counts of statutory rape in 2017 after a tryst with the teenage player at South-Doyle High became public. Her husband, Justin McCarter, worked at the high school as an assistant coach at the time.
McCarter is currently imprisoned after agreeing to a three year sentence, of which she must serve at least 30 percent, but has asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit brought forward by the teen which claims that McCarter repeatedly molested him after moving in with her and her husband in 2014.
The age of consent in Tennessee is 18.
The teen, along with his older brother, moved in with the McCarters with their mother’s permission, who was said to be experiencing 'domestic issues' at the time.
“[The boy] claims that he suffered injury from the repeated ‘sexual abuse’ by Ms. McCarter,” her attorney, Doug Trant, said in a motion per the New York Post.
“However, the complaint is replete with factual allegations allowing the conclusion that [he] was a willing participant in numerous sexual encounters with Ms. McCarter.”
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The two boys were asked to leave the McCarter household in August 2015 by Justin McCarter, though he has said that this was not due to the sexual relationship as he was not aware of it at the time.
The relationship between McCarter and the teen continued after this time. The two boys were permitted to return to the McCarter home the following October. The relationship became public when the teen posted a nude picture of McCarter to social media.
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Kelsey McCarter was subsequently indicted and Justin McCarter resigned his position as the school’s assistant coach.
McCarter is now asking a judge, via her attorney, to throw out a lawsuit brought forward by the teen for the reason that he was a “willing participant” in the affair and for that reason he is not entitled to damages.
“By [the boy’s] own admission in the complaint, he continued to ‘submit’ to the sexual contacts with Ms. McCarter because he wanted to return to live with the McCarters,” Doug Trant wrote in the motion.
“By his own admission in the complaint [the boy] desired and maintained a sexual relationship with Ms. McCarter in order to derive a personal benefit — initially to extend his stay at the McCarters’ residence and then to ensure his return therein.”
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The motion elaborates further, suggesting McCarter was entitled to believe that the teenager wanted to be involved sexually with him.
At least 11 counts of sexual misconduct are levied against McCarter in the suit, taking place between July and October of 2015. $2 million in damages are being sought in the case, with the next hearing scheduled for December 20.
