Opinion ID: 870427
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Behrendt's testimony

Text: Behrendt denied having had any sexual interactions with SI. He loved [SI] like a daughter and considered her [his] child. He would kiss SI (a peck) like he used to do with his family. Behrendt testified that when SI lived with him and LI in South Dakota, he would take her to and from school each day and help her with her homework when they got home. He and LI would take SI to the pool and LI always took SI to the girls' showers. Behrendt never took SI to the pool by himself, and the only time he showered with SI was at the beach in Hawai`i with their swimsuits on. Behrendt testified that he and LI decided to move back to Hawai`i in the summer of 2002 to start a family. At the going away party at Trista's house, SI got upset after a boy walked by and went upstairs to the bathroom. He and LI went upstairs together to talk to her, and then Behrendt went back downstairs and LI stayed with SI. Trista later called them about a small hole in her bathroom wall, and even though Behrendt did not know how it got there, he fixed it for her. Behrendt testified that when they returned to Hawai`i, they moved in with SI and LI's family, who was like their own group and did their own thing. LI braided his hair until their daughter was born, and then SI took over. Behrendt would wake up at four in the morning for work, he would go into SI's room, open up the curtains, sit down on the bed and SI would braid his hair for ten minutes and then he would leave for work. He denied ever having a romantic liaison with SI or ever telling his daughter to call SI mom. Behrendt testified that in August or September 2004, he and LI discussed moving to Washington, but he did not want to go because he didn't have any money because [LI] cleaned out his bank account. Behrendt was stressing out because their marriage [was] falling apart[,] and was extremely upset when [LI] left. After LI moved out, her parents told him to leave their house. Behrendt then lived in his car for about a month, and moved into the Crazy Horse apartment on December 17, 2004. Behrendt testified that SI never lived with him at the Crazy Horse apartment, and that he had never given her a key to the apartment. SI was dating Brandon at the time, and Behrendt was never jealous of Brandon. On January 15 or 16, 2005, LI and their daughter moved in with Behrendt, along with Behrendt's sister. Behrendt testified that he received a phone call from SI on January 17, 2005, they had a conversation, he talked to LI about it, and then he went back to sleep. After his rental agreement terminated in June 2005, Behrendt moved to another place, and LI moved in with her parents. He and LI agreed that their marriage was over, and in November 2005, Behrendt started seeing another woman.