Nathan Abate case | What you need to know:
- Abate, a local barber, is charged with rape, rape by intoxication of drugs and alcohol - specifically alcohol, and oral copulation of a person under the age of 18.
- The crimes are alleged to have occurred between August 2008 and December 2010.
- Kin Coffee Bar owner Julian Contreras is alleged to have been involved in at least one of the incidents. He is believed to be out of the country.
- Closing arguments finished Wednesday.
Closing arguments were held Wednesday in the trial of a local barber charged with sex crimes.
It kicked off with prosecutor Kimberly Dittrich.
She listed off all the alleged victim's names and gave a run down on what each woman says happened to them.
She called Nathan Abate a serial rapist, telling the court he prayed on young and vulnerable girls who he could make silent.
Dittrich told the jury she thought the victims were brave for coming forward.
She added that the jury could find him guilty based on an alleged victim's testimony alone, but she went a step further to provide other evidence and witnesses to support her argument.
Dittrich named each of the four charges against Abate, before telling jurors why she believes she proved during the trial that he is guilty of all counts, without reasonable doubt.
Then the defense made their closing argument. Attorney Scott Taylor referred to this as a case of corroboration and recruitment.
He emphasized the difference between reasonable doubt, and unreasonable doubt, encouraging the jury to look at all the evidence.
Taylor says Abate is a scapegoat and that he isn't Julian Contreras.
He went on to point out instances he felt like one of the alleged victims Ashley was quote-playing games with evidence and witnesses.
Taylor said she withheld information including names of potential witnesses and communications between her and other victims.
KSBY will continue to provide updated coverage of this story. New to the case? Below you can find links to previous coverage.
