HANOVER COUNTY, Va -- The trial for a doctor accused of improperly touching a woman at a party began on Monday.
Dr. Brent Logie, who faces two sex crime chargesis accused of putting his hands down the front of a 23-year-old woman's pants during a Christmas party at his home in 2013. The woman was once a patient of Logie's.
There was very emotional testimony Monday as the alleged victim spent more than three hours on the stand. She told the jury Dr. Logie touched her and her friend inappropriately a few times during a Christmas party at his home.
She said he put his hands down her pants and touched her private parts as she leaned over an island in the doctor's kitchen a few feet away from other party guests. The 24 year old said she froze when it happened, and felt violated. She told the jury she tried to run out of the house but couldn't get out of the door, so she sat on the couch in a side room near the front door waiting on her friend that invited her to the party.
Prosecutors plan on producing DNA evidence tying Logie to the crime. Such evidence could be crucial to the prosecution's case, according to CBS 6 Legal Analyst Todd Stone.
"Jurors sometimes expect to see DNA or they expect to see some sort of evidence from an expert," said Todd. "Sometimes it's a matter of one persons' word against another person's word."
"A lot's riding on it because this is a physician, his entire career rides on it, and potentially his freedom," added Todd.
Defense attorneys, for their part, said they had not seen any DNA evidence. They also said the victim has credibility problems.
The prosecutor played for the jury a recorded phone call the alleged victim and a detective made to Dr. Logie where she confronted him.
In the recording the jury heard the doctor saying "I don't recall doing that but if it did happen the way you say I totally apologize. Where was everybody else? I'm mortified. Whether I had too much alcohol it's inexcusable."
The defense contends her story is untrue and grilled her about why she didn't scream, push him or make a scene at the party. The alleged victim was also questioned about whether she might have had more than the three to four glasses of wine she testified about having.
When asked if she should have taken that kind of medication that night with alcohol, she testified she had taken herself off of it because it had once caused her to hallucinate.
On Tuesday the trial resumes with a witness testimony. Among the witnesses, will be the doctor's wife, who also happens to be an area physician.
The woman who invited the alleged victim to the party is also expected to testify.
If convicted, Logie could go to prison for life.
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