THE alleged victim emotionally recounted on Tuesday how she was sexually assaulted by William Abraczinskas on April 8, 2023.
Abraczinskas, whose jury trial started on Monday, is a former law clerk of Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo. The alleged victim is his former co-worker.
Abraczinskas was charged with sexual assault in the first degree, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace. He has denied the allegations.
On Tuesday, during examination by Assistant Attorney General Frances Demapan, the accuser said, “He raped me,” referring to the defendant.
Asked by the prosecutor if at any point she gave the defendant permission to have sex with her, she said, “No.”
Demapan asked, “Before this incident, did you and the defendant have consensual sex?”
The alleged victim said, “No.”
“Are you in any way attracted to him?” Demapan asked.
“No,” the alleged victim said.
“Are you romantically interested in the defendant?” Demapan asked.
“No!” the alleged victim replied.
“Up until this point, did you trust him?” Demapan asked.
“Yes,” the alleged victim said.
“Up until that point, did you consider the defendant a friend?” Demapan asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Now looking back, do you recall saying anything to him that you wanted to have sex with him?” Demapan asked.
“No … no,” the alleged victim said.
Asked what she felt after the incident, the alleged victim said, “I felt ashamed and felt guilty … and blamed myself. I kept asking myself what I did wrong.”
Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore Elyze M. Iriarte is presiding over the trial, which will continue today, Wednesday, when the alleged victim is expected to be cross-examined by the defense.
The defendant is represented by Assistant Public Defenders Charlene Brown and Karie Comstock while Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds and Demapan represent the CNMI government.
Department of Public Safety Detective Shannon Dela Cruz, Police Officer Hector Efraim, and the judiciary’s human resources officer, Michelle Guerrero, also testified on Tuesday.
Dela Cruz and Efraim discussed how they got involved in the case while Guerrero testified that she received an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint from the defendant against the alleged victim, and the alleged victim’s EEOC complaint against the defendant.
Judge Govendo likewise testified on Tuesday.
Variety learned that the defense will not call any witness, and that the closing arguments will be heard after the cross-examination of the alleged victim.
According to the complaint against Abraczinskas, on May 26, 2023, police received a walk-in complaint from a judicial employee who alleged that her co-worker, Abraczinskas, sexually assaulted her on April 8, 2023, at Beach Garden Apartments.
She also told investigators that she had learned that Abraczinskas filed a sexual harassment complaint against her with the judiciary’s human resources office.
After meeting with HR and opening up to her supervisor about the alleged sexual assault, she said she found the courage to come to the Department of Public Safety and tell her side of the incident.
According to Variety news files, Abraczinskas was detained and then released on a $100,000 unsecured bond, but placed under house arrest.
