Judge orders Denver cardiologist to stand trial in date rape cases; cites "substantial evidence" women were drugged

A Denver Judge on Tuesday ordered cardiologist Stephen Matthews to stand trial on dozens of criminal counts saying there was "substantial evidence something was administered" to 13 women who claimed the 35-year-old drugged them during dates, with some of the women saying after they were incapacitated, the doctor sexually assaulted them.

Matthews' attorney had argued in the two-day preliminary hearing that there was no forensic evidence the women were drugged and there was no proof the women were physically helpless when they had sex with Matthews. But Judge Eric Johnson rejected those claims noting strong similarities in virtually all the cases.

In court, Matthews shook his head as if to say "no" as the judge went through each case and said Matthews should face trial for each of the 13 cases. Matthews faces 51 felony charges, including about two dozen counts of sexual assault, and another 17 counts of drugging an alleged victim, as more women continue to come out with accusations against him. 

Matthews will be arraigned Oct. 6.

All the women said they met Matthews through  dating apps like Hinge or Tinder. They would meet him for a date, but after he would make them a drink, or if they left their drink unattended, they say they began to lose memory and essentially black out, sometimes for hours. Almost all of them said at some point they vomited and several told Denver police they would 'come to' only to find Matthews raping them.

Johnson noted while each of the women drank with Matthews, all believed their symptoms were out of character with their normal reactions to alcohol.

Jennifer Lott, a sex crimes detective with the Denver Police Department, took the stand Tuesday and recounted interviews with the alleged victims. One woman, a school teacher,  told police after being with Matthews and losing her memory, she ended up naked in a hot tub at Matthews apartment complex. Lott said the woman said Matthews later raped her.

"It was horrible and atrocious," according to Lott. She said several weeks after that date, Matthews sent the woman a photo of her naked in the hot tub. Lott said Matthews also shot video of the woman. Lott said after watching the video of the woman, it appeared "like the lights are on but nobody is home... she's out of it."

Another woman said after drinking with Matthews during a date, she has no memory of four hours which the detective said was "terrifying" for the woman. She had met Matthews through the Hinge dating app and emailed Hinge after that date, writing, "This person is a predator... uses his doctor status, I feel taken advantage of."

During cross examination, Lott admitted police had no scientific evidence of drugs being used in any of the cases.

Denver police detectives also acknowledged under cross-examination that at least two of the women who said Matthews drugged and sexually assaulted them then went out with him on second dates. 

But prosecutors said the evidence showed a "pattern of behavior the defendant has exhibited," and the judge agreed.

Following the hearing, Matthews was returned to the Denver jail where he is being held on $5 million bond.