The jury hearing the rape and aggravated sexual battery case against former Emporia chiropractor Eric Hawkins is now in the deliberation process, although work on that end will resume at 9 am.
The jury got the case around 4 pm Thursday and deliberated for about two hours before shutting down the process for the night.
Hawkins is accused of rape in the case of a then-16-year-old girl from 2015 and aggravated sexual battery in the case of a then-22-year-old woman last year.
4 pm Thursday: Rape, aggravated sexual battery case goes to jury
Jury deliberations are starting Thursday in the case of Eric Hawkins.
Closing arguments took place Thursday afternoon after close to three full days of testimony in Lyon County District Court. Hawkins is accused of rape in the case of a then-16-year-old girl from 2015 and aggravated sexual battery in the case of a then-22-year-old woman last year. In the case of the 16-year-old, who accuses Hawkins of touching her crotch during a treatment for a groin injury, defense attorney Dione Scherff said the accuser’s story changed several times before trial.
The then-22-year-old woman accuses Hawkins of touching her rear end and going under her leggings for skin-to-skin contact early last year after a back injury. Scherff said Hawkins should have requested permission first, but he wasn’t automatically a criminal because he did not ask for consent.
Assistant County Attorney Amy Aranda had the prosecution’s closing argument, saying the 16-year-old was concerned about how she was allegedly being touched during her treatment, only to have Hawkins tell her, “Let me do my job. I know what I’m doing.”
Hawkins took the stand in his own defense Thursday morning. He categorically denied any inappropriate touching during his 21-year career, although he said under-clothing contact was needed in certain cases to treat areas like the sacrum, a shield-shaped bone near the end of the spine, if certain clothing were worn like leggings. He also said the laser treatment used in the case of the 16-year-old required some skin exposure.
Hawkins says he treated the 16-year-old with laser treatment after a hip flexor injury. Hawkins also said the accuser came back for another treatment after the alleged incident. Hawkins said he “got complacent” with his treatment methods of the 22-year-old and said he wished he would have asked for consent before proceeding.
Noon Thursday: Chiropractor denies inappropriate contact, says ‘I got complacent’ with one accuser as abuse trial continues
Former Emporia chiropractor Eric Hawkins took the stand in his own defense Thursday as a rape and sexual misconduct trial continues in Lyon County District Court.
Hawkins categorically denied any inappropriate touching during his 21-year career, although he said under-clothing contact was needed in certain cases to treat areas like the sacrum, a shield-shaped bone near the end of the spine, if certain clothing was worn.
Regarding the case of a then-22-year-old woman who accused him of touching her rear end and going under her leggings for skin-to-skin contact early last year after a back injury, Hawkins said he “got complacent” with his treatment methods.
In the case of the second accuser, who was 16 when she was allegedly touched inappropriately in 2015, Hawkins said his accuser suffered a groin injury and a second injury near her stomach after running, which prompted him to use laser treatment. Hawkins also said the accuser came back for another treatment after the alleged incident.
Hawkins is accused of rape in the case of the then-16-year-old and aggravated sexual battery in the case of the then-22-year-old last year. Defense testimony started Wednesday afternoon. Both of Hawkins’ accusers testified early this week as prosecutors laid out their case.
Hawkins is set to have a related trial begin Monday. He’s accused of sexual battery against a then-32-year-old woman from an alleged incident in 2015.
