Kellis trial underway

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Story Published: Sep 16, 2008 at 12:30 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 2:19 AM PDT

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MOSCOW (AP & KLEW Staff) - The trial of a Tumwater, Washington man charged with nine counts of lewd conduct, one count of attempted lewd conduct, and two counts of sexual abuse of a child is underway in Moscow.

Jury selection took place Monday and witnesses began testimony in the trial for 38-year-old Timothy Andrew Kellis Tuesday.

A Latah County grand jury indicted Kellis. Kellis has pleaded not guilty to charges that he abused boys last summer while working as a counselor at the Camp Grizzly Boy Scout camp north of Moscow. Kellis, a former high school band director from Tumwater, Wash., is now being held at the Latah County Jail on a $200,000 bond.

The 2nd District Court normally calls about 50 to 60 prospective jurors in felony trials. Judge John R. Stegner asked for three times that amount, court officials say, because of the nature of the charges.

Kellis is also facing one count of second degree rape of a child in Asotin County.

The police report for the Asotin County case states Kellis was a color guard instructor for the marching band at Clarkston High School. The alleged victim claims he met Kellis at band camp at Camp Wooten, near Pomeroy. The boy told police he was a student at Lincoln Middle School when, under Kellis' mentoring, he joined the Clarkston High marching band.

Also in the report are allegations that the boy would often spend the night at Kellis' Clarkston home and wake up to what is called "improper touching."

Clarkston School District Human Resource officials confirmed that Kellis was employed as a marching band and winter guard instructor from September 1995 to the Fall of 2006.

Kellis also was employed in Craigmont schools. Idaho State Police investigators say he worked as a teacher at Highland High School from 2001 to 2006

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