A Boston hospital worker who was already facing rape charges over allegations he sexually assaulted a patient during an exam has been charged in a second incident, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said Monday.
Damien Knighton, 39, was charged last week with rape and indecent assault and battery. On Monday prosecutors announced a new charge of indecent assault and battery in a second case.
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Knighton was working at the Massachusetts General Hospital Back Bay Health Center on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston during both alleged incidents, prosecutors say. The second victim reported their experience, which happened on Jan. 12., after seeing the first report. That victim reported that Knighton led him to an exam room and had him remove his underwear to check his skin. At that time Knighton touched his genitals, prosecutors say. After the patient saw his doctor, and got dressed, prosecutors allege Knighton came back, asked if the doctor had performed a rectal exam, and then led the patient back into the exam room for a rectal exam.
Anyone who believes they may have been assaulted in a similar manner is encouraged to call the Boston Police Department Sexual Assault Unit at 617-343-4400.
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“We don’t know if there are additional victims, but if there are, we hope they come forward to provide information about what happened to them," Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a media release.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.
Mass General previously said that Knighton has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. They released a new statement Monday night:
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"We have been made aware through news reports of the additional charge. We continue to cooperate fully with Boston Police as they investigate these incidents. As caregivers, we take very seriously the sacred trust placed in us by our patients and incidents such as the ones alleged are intolerable in any setting, especially healthcare."
Knighton pled not guilty in the first case and was initially held on a $5,000 bail and ordered to have no contact with the victim or unsupervised access to patients. Knighton was arraigned on the new charge on Monday and released on personal recognizance, again ordered to have no contact with the victim.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause hearing on Feb. 23.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.
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