The Marblehead Reporter (Massachusetts)

March 1, 2012

Local Psychiatrist Faces Rape Charge

BYLINE: Amy Saltzman, ASALTZMAN@WICKEDLOCAL.COM

SECTION: POLICE LOGS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 221 words

Marblehead resident Christopher Palacios, 36, of 9 Dartmouth Road, was arrested Feb. 23 on charges of rape and domestic assault and battery, a day after his alleged victim reported the incident and filed for a restraining order at the Marblehead police station.
During his arraignment, the Salem Hospital psychiatrist pleaded not guilty to pushing, punching, kicking and then sexually assaulting the victim, who was known to him.
The alleged altercation began the night of Feb. 21, when the victim presented Opening Day Red Sox tickets to Palacios, who, according to police, was unsatisfied with the seats.
He allegedly called her various names, and is accused of attacking her physically.
After the alleged fight, the victim went into her room for the evening. But during the morning of Feb. 22, between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., the woman told police Palacios entered her room and began to scream at her again, eventually wrestling her to the ground. He then sexually assaulted her, the woman claimed.
Police observed bruises on the victim, and asked if she’d like to get a sexual assault kit done.
“I also photographed the bruise on her lip, leg and arm, which she said [Palacios] inflicted,” said Lt. Sean Sweeney in his report.
In other statements, the victim described Palacios as “obsessed with MMA [Mixed Martial Arts] and UFC [Ul