BOSTON (WHDH) - A former medical assistant at the Massachusetts General Hospital Back Bay HealthCare Center is set to appear in court Thursday for a probable cause hearing after allegedly assaulting a patient last month.
Damien Knighton, 39, of East Boston, is facing charges of rape and indecent assault. During his arraignment in January, he was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail and told to stay away from and have no contact with the victim or unsupervised access to patients, according to Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden.
Officers responding to the hospital on Jan. 18 spoke with the victim who said he was sexually assaulted by Knighton after he requested an “additional test” that required him to remove his clothes. The man said he called 911 when he asked about the examination and determined he had been sexually assaulted.
In a statement, Hayden said, “Patients entering an exam room have every expectation of receiving proper medical attention and proper ethical treatment. This incident presents an egregious violation of those expectations. I’m grateful the victim made authorities aware of what happened to him.”
In a statement, the hospital said, “Patients are our first priority and we strive to provide a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for all who seek care.”
Knighton has been placed on administrative leave.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)