A local barbershop owner accused of multiple sex crimes appeared in court Tuesday to continue delivering his testimony.
Nathan Abate is facing allegations of sex crimes that occurred between 2008 and 2010 involving multiple victims, including rape, rape by use of drugs, and oral copulation of a person under 18.
Abate's attorney, Scott Taylor, began court proceedings by calling doctor Howard Allen Reid as a witness.
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He is a forensic psychologist deemed an expert witness in the case.
Taylor’s questions focused on memory, and how memories can be impacted.
Allen Reid explained how memories can be altered even without a person realizing it.
He called these contaminated memories.
He went on to say memories can be more susceptible to being contaminated as more time passes.
The doctor also said that alcohol can make memories more susceptible to being contaminated.
He also confirmed that learning information secondhand can also have an impact on memories, and can sometimes result in a person unintentionally filling in the gaps in their memories with things that may not be true.
After Taylor was done questioning, the prosecution asked a few questions — mostly confirming and clarifying what he had said.
The second witness the defense called to the stand was San Luis Obispo Police Department detective Brent Ingleheart.
He confirmed he was the first officer to interview Ashley, one of the alleged victims.
He was only on the stand for a few minutes and confirmed that he spoke to Ashley twice in 2022 regarding her alleged sexual assault.
Ingleheart also confirmed the police department's policy for reports of a sexual assault is to take the report, even if the person reporting something doesn’t want to press charges at that time.
The prosecution had no questions for detective Ingleheart, and the defense rested.
After the last witness left, the judge went over instructions with the jury, and the court was adjourned.
Everyone will be back in court at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday for the beginning of closing arguments.
