The Blowhard
08-24-2001, 08:50 AM
Circus Clown Found Guilty
By Pat Milton
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2001; 7:28 p.m. EDT
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- A professional circus clown has been convicted of sodomizing his teen-age assistant.
Christopher Bayer, 29, known as "Smiley the Clown," was found guilty Wednesday on nine counts including sodomy, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. He was acquitted on four other charges.
Bayer said he would appeal.
"I'm innocent," he said as he left Suffolk County Court. His attorney, William Keahon, said he is confident the convictions will be reversed.
Bayer worked for the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus based in DeLand, Fla. The boy was 11 when he began working for Bayer in 1995.
The boy, now 17, testified that Bayer began fondling him during out-of-town circus trips, and that the first sodomy happened in 1995.
The boy's father grew suspicious in 1999 and placed a surveillance camera in the living room of the family's Long Island home, where Bayer would sometimes stay when in the area.
The father caught a December 1999 incident on videotape and reported Bayer to police. The tape was shown to the jury.
Keahon argued that his client had been given liquor and then set up before the taped incident.
Bayer was freed on $25,000 bail. Prosecutors said Thursday that bail would likely be revoked because a recent state statute does not allow bail before sentencing for a person convicted of a felony involving a child victim.
Sentencing was set for Oct. 17.
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By Pat Milton
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2001; 7:28 p.m. EDT
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- A professional circus clown has been convicted of sodomizing his teen-age assistant.
Christopher Bayer, 29, known as "Smiley the Clown," was found guilty Wednesday on nine counts including sodomy, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. He was acquitted on four other charges.
Bayer said he would appeal.
"I'm innocent," he said as he left Suffolk County Court. His attorney, William Keahon, said he is confident the convictions will be reversed.
Bayer worked for the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus based in DeLand, Fla. The boy was 11 when he began working for Bayer in 1995.
The boy, now 17, testified that Bayer began fondling him during out-of-town circus trips, and that the first sodomy happened in 1995.
The boy's father grew suspicious in 1999 and placed a surveillance camera in the living room of the family's Long Island home, where Bayer would sometimes stay when in the area.
The father caught a December 1999 incident on videotape and reported Bayer to police. The tape was shown to the jury.
Keahon argued that his client had been given liquor and then set up before the taped incident.
Bayer was freed on $25,000 bail. Prosecutors said Thursday that bail would likely be revoked because a recent state statute does not allow bail before sentencing for a person convicted of a felony involving a child victim.
Sentencing was set for Oct. 17.
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