Day two of trial ends for doctor accused of sexually assaulting patient
Dr. Emamdee was arested on July 20, 2017, on the case
- Dr. Alan Emamdee is accused of six first-degree felony counts of criminal sexual penetration and five misdemeanor counts of criminal sexual contact.
- May 29 was the second day of the scheduled three-day trial in Aztec District Court.
- There is a civil lawsuit pending in Santa Fe District Court where 12 of his former patients accuse him of sexual abuses and assaults.
AZTEC — The case of the former San Juan Regional Medical Center doctor accused of sexually abusing a female patient multiple times in 2016 will go to the jury on May 30 after the prosecution and defense attorneys rested their cases.
Dr. Alan Emamdee, 42, was arrested on July 20, 2017, and accused of six first-degree felony counts of criminal sexual penetration and five misdemeanor counts of criminal sexual contact, according to court documents.
May 29 was the second day of the scheduled three-day trial in Aztec District Court.
The alleged victim testified in court in front of District Court Judge Lindy Bennett that Emamdee forced her to perform oral sex on him multiple times and sexually assaulted her once.
The defendant was a San Juan Health Partners behavioral psychiatrist when the alleged incidents occurred between April and September 2016, according to The Daily Times archives.
Emamdee is no longer employed by the hospital.
Details on this case have been limited as the court file in Farmington Magistrate Court was sealed, and court documents related to Emamdee's arrest are not listed in district court files.
The female former patient and alleged victim was the first witness to testify on May 29 as she answered questions from Emamdee's lawyers.
The defense lawyers scrutinized the dates the woman gave as to when the alleged incidents occurred.
At one point, the defense asked the woman if she had a history of rape accusations, to which she replied no.
The defense then read a list of rape accusations she had previously made that were listed in medical records.
The husband of the victim, along with two law enforcement investigators, testified on the morning of May 29 before the prosecution rested its case.
Her husband told the court that one of his wife's appointments with Emamdee was scheduled at a hotel room. He also stated she started to develop nightmares, and became afraid of crowds and going outside following the alleged incidents.
Former Farmington Police Department Detective George Joy testified the woman told him she was concerned about making a report against Emamdee because it was her word against his.
During an interview with Emamdee, Joy testified the defendant told him there is no reason for the victim to say they engaged in oral sex.
Joy testified during cross-examination that there was no forensic evidence in the case and Joy did not interview Behavioral Health staff.
The defense called the defendant's wife, former Behavioral Health employee Dr. Nausika Prifti, along with two employees of the Behavioral Health clinic, to the stand.
Prifti narrated a video tour of the Behavioral Health office, noting her office was next to Emamdee's and the wall was thin between their offices, so she could hear muffled voices through the wall.
The jury is set to return on the morning of May 30 to hear closing statements, receive jury instructions and deliberate a verdict.
This is one of two pending criminal cases against Emamdee, where he faces one third-degree felony count of criminal sexual penetration. He is also accused of withholding medications from a female patient unless she performed a sexual act, according to court documents.
There is a civil lawsuit pending in Santa Fe District Court wherein 12 of his former patients accuse him of sexual abuses and assaults.
Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.
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