Custer County District Judge Lynette Wenner granted a motion Tuesday to consolidate four separate cases against a Westcliffe chiropractor accused of unlawful sexual contact by multiple victims.
Formal charges have been filed on behalf of four female patients, who allege that Dr. Luis Marquez, 78, was sexually inappropriate during his treatment stemming from August 2019 to July 2021.
Custer County judge finds probable cause in fourth case against Westcliffe chiropractor
Marquez's defense attorney, Lindsay Brown, argued that there are important nuances between each of the four alleged victims and asked that the cases not be combined.
"We are talking about very distinct accusations that take place at different times over the course of two years," she said. "...There are some important differences in terms of what Dr. Marquez is being accused of in each of these cases: the number of times he saw each of these patients, which I think is an important consideration, and some of the more collateral evidence in the cases will be different."
Deputy District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said the similarities go beyond just what was charged and argued that the cases are strikingly similar.
"They happened in the defendant's office, no one else is in the office; he makes the women take off all their clothes but their underwear, even if they are just working on feet or legs or some other part; he also doesn't make the men do the same; he had them put on a flimsy gown; during the treatment, he had them roll on their back - he said he was going to adjust their ribs; he then fondled their breasts either over or under the gown."
Wenner found that the alleged acts are connected and ruled that the cases would be joined.
Marquez previously pleaded not guilty to one of the cases and is expected to enter the same plea in the other three at his next court appearance April 11 at which time a trial may be scheduled.
The State Board of Chiropractic Examiners on Feb. 16, 2022, suspended Marquez's license pending the outcome of the court proceedings. In a letter to Marquez from the board, the patients are afraid to speak out against Marquez "because they all live in a small town and close-knit community."
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