A sexual assault case against a renowned ballet coach is heading to retrial in an East Bay Court after the jury couldn't reach a decision following two days of deliberations.
Three of Viktor Kabaniaev’s ex-students testified against their former coach, who was arrested in January 2018 and charged with 14 counts involving sex crimes against minors.
One woman said he raped her for the first time when she was only 12 years old, and forced her to have sex with him dozens of times thereafter. The other two accused Kabaniaev of molesting them.
Among these people was a new, third alleged victim, who came forward publicly for the first time as the trial unfolded to give her testimony.
Additional witnesses for the prosecution also took the stand during the two-week trial in Martinez, including the father of the alleged rape victim.