BURLINGTON, Vt. – A second former patient of a Colchester orthopedic surgeon accused of sexual assault says he touched her genital area during a 2007 medical exam for a knee injury.
The woman, now 20, told the jury Thursday that she tried to back away from Dr. Joseph Abate after the incident, according to the Burlington Free Press.
Abate is on trial, facing three counts of aggravated sexual assault and four counts of sexual assault that he improperly touched seven female patients during exams between 2003 and 2007.
His lawyer says the vaginal exams are legitimate to search for the source of hip pain.
Abate is on leave from his job as head of sports medicine at Fletcher Allen Health Care's orthopedic and rehabilitation department.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.