Taplin Trial Is
Set for This Month

A criminal court case against a prominent, 58-year-old Bethel man, alleging that he sexually assaulted a child over a two-year period, is scheduled to go to trial in Windsor District Court this month.

Frank C. Taplin, a former Bethel selectman, was charged in March with sexual assault on a child and lewd and lascivious conduct with a child. He was released on $40,000 bail and with multiple conditions a few days after his March 16 arraignment, where he pleaded innocent to the two felony charges. Taplin’s conditions of release include no contact with his alleged victim or any minors under 16.

A trial, originally set for early September, is scheduled to begin in a week.

Jury drawing for the trial is scheduled for November 8.

Last month, Taplin’s defense attorney, Kevin Griffin, withdrew from the case, citing conflict of interest issues. In his "motion to withdraw," Griffin explained that he was aware of a possible conflict of interest when he took on the case, related to his law firm’s prior participation in a Family Court case. In his Oct. 10 motion, Griffin said that once the investigation in the case was complete it was evident to him that the conflict of interest could not be resolved.

Griffin wrote that he could not stay in the case "without hurting the defendant as well as the interests" of the alleged victim, and he apologized to the court for the delayed motion to withdraw.

Chelsea Atty. Daniel Sedon is now representing Taplin.

The charges against Taplin were filed following a one-day investigation by state police. School officials reported the matter to police March 15, after the alleged victim, a pre-teen, complained to school personnel.

Taplin’s next appearance in court is a November 6 status conference.

Conviction on a charge of aggravated sexual assault on a child carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a fine of $50,000, or both. The L&L charge carries a sentence of one to 15 years in prison, a $5000 fine, or both.