Accusers want Durham gymnastics coach to register as sex offender

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>> NEW AT 6 O'CLOCK IN ALLEGED

ASSAULT INVOLVING A DURHAM

GYMNASTICS COACH COULD BE

HEADED TO TRIAL. THIS COMES

AFTER A JUDGE'S DECISION

ALLOWED PROSECUTORS TO WITHDRAW

A PLEA DEAL OFFERED TO THE

FORMER OWNER OF THE BULL CITY

GYMNASTICS WRAL'S JOE FISHER

REPORTS ON HOW THE CASE IS

TAKING A STEP BACKWARD.

>> THE GYMNASTICS COACH HAS

ALREADY ADMITTED TO UNWANTED

TOUCHING, BUT HIS ATTORNEY SAYS

IT WAS NEVER IN NATURE.

MEANWHILE, THE ACCUSERS HERE

SAY IT WAS AND THEY WANT THE

COACH TO HAVE TO REGISTER AS A

OFFENDER YEARS OF ABUSE IS WHAT

FOR YOUNG GIRLS SAY THEY

ENDURED AT BULL CITY GYMNASTICS

AT THE HANDS OF THEIR COACH.

STEPHEN MANUS, THE 41 YEAR-OLD

APPEARED IN COURT LAST MONTH.

HIS DEFENSE WAS FIGHTING TO

KEEP A PLEA DEAL ON THE TABLE

THAT WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE

FELONIES TO MISDEMEANOR ASSAULT

AND ABUSE CHARGES. AND CAPTAIN

OUT OF JAIL. BUT PROSECUTORS

WERE SEEKING TO WITHDRAW THE

OFFER ALTOGETHER BECAUSE IT DID

NOT REQUIRE MANUS TO REGISTER

AS A OFFENDER. JUST SIMPLY

BEING BANNED FROM USA

GYMNASTICS.

>> IS NOT ENOUGH PROTECTION

BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO

COACH. THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO

HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDREN.

TIFFANY, HIM BRIGHT'S DAUGHTER

IS ONE OF THE ACCUSERS. SHE

DISPUTES THE DEFENSE'S CLAIM

THAT THE TOUCHING WAS NOT YOU

AND THE OTHER FAMILIES ARE

CONVINCED THAT THIS WAS IN

NATURE. ABSOLUTELY. MAINE IS

HIS ATTORNEY, WHEN ASKED THE

JUDGE TO ENFORCE THE INITIAL

PLEA DEAL, WE SPOKE TO HER

OUTSIDE OF COURT LAST MONTH.

MICHAEL HAS HELD UP EVERY

SINGLE ASPECT.

>> WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO

CHANGE THE GAME AFTER THE FACT

HER REQUEST HAS NOW BEEN DENIED

SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE JOHN DONNE

LOWE WRITING, QUOTE,

>> BECAUSE THE PARTY'S PROPOSED

PLEA ARRANGEMENT REQUIRED

APPROVAL BY THE TRIAL COURT.

THE STATE IS ALLOWED TO RESCIND

THE OFFER BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER

APPROVED BY A TRIAL. JUDGE WERE

HOPING FOR A RESOLUTION SAYING

THE CASE COULD GO TO TRIAL OR

MANUS COULD ACCEPT A NEW DEAL

REQUIRING HIM TO REGISTER AS A

OFFENDER.

>> IF HE ACCEPTS THIS PLAY,

WE WILL. STILL ACCOMPLISH OUR

GOALS.

WHICH TO PROTECT ANYBODY ELSE

FROM THIS HAPPENING ANYMORE.

SO LET OUR GIRLS KNOW.

WE BELIEVE THEM. THAT'S WHAT HE

DID WAS WRONG. AND THE

PROSECUTORS SAY EVEN MORE

POTENTIAL VICTIMS HAVE COME

FORWARD, ALTHOUGH NO NEW

CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED.

MEANWHILE, STEPHEN MANUS WILL

BE BACK IN COURT SOMETIME NEXT

MONTH.

>> I'M JOE FISHER, WRAL NEWS

>> WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS

STORY SINCE STEPHEN MAYNE U.S.

WAS ARRESTED NEARLY 2 YEARS