A psychiatrist who treated a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by a Carbon County psychologist testified Tuesday that medication made the woman vulnerable to others.

Dr. Ilan S. Levinson, who has an office in Lehighton, testified at the second day of the trial of Dr. Michael Degilio, 46, of Penn Forest Township. Degilio has been charged by Mahoning Township police with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and indecent exposure.The charges were filed after a then 40-year-old woman accused Degilio of forcing her to commit a sexual act with him while she was his patient. She said the incident occurred in Degilio's office along Route 443 in the township on Feb. 24, 2009. The victim, a mother of five, testified of the assault on Monday.Levinson said he became the victim's treating psychiatrist after the alleged incident and after her discharge from the Blue Mountain Health System's Lehighton Campus Behavioral Health Unit. It was her second stay in the unit in February 2009, as she was suffering from depression and anxiety.The hospital psychiatrist put her on the drug Klonopin, an anti-anxiety medication. Levinson said the dosage was too high and he immediately reduced it.Under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Ann Dyrda Hatton, Levinson said he diagnosed her condition as major depression disorder and she developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the alleged sexual incident with Degilio.He said the drug would cause the victim to be confused and interfere with her judgment, but would not have caused her hallucinations.Under cross-examination by defense counsel attorney John Waldron, of Allentown, Levinson said the woman had an eight-year history of mental health problems. He said she was at one point self-medicating and had abused opiates.Levinson said the hospital psychiatrist and social worker did not believe that the incident in question happened. He said he did not interview either person for his report, stating he felt he did not need to treat the victim.Other testimonyThe victim's best friend from Lehighton testified that she took the victim to the emergency room at the Lehighton hospital on Feb. 20, 2009, after her friend showed signs of depression and felt severe abdominal pain. She was then admitted to the behavioral health unit.She said she also spoke to the victim after her first visit with Degilio. She said her friend told her of the questions and comments Degilio made to her which were sexual in nature and told her that she felt those questions were inappropriate.She also said after her release from the hospital the victim appeared tired and confused and in her opinion had changed. She said the victim was excited about her first appointment with Degilio because she thought she was going to get help for her problems.After the Feb. 24, 2009, appointment, when the victim alleges the assault occurred, the victim came to the girlfriend's place of employment about 1 p.m., two hours after the scheduled appointment with Degilio.She said her friend had a hard time breathing, was very upset and "was a real mess." Eventually the victim told her what had happened at the appointment. The witness said she told the victim, "That's not right."Patrice Rimbey, who knew the victim from working with her at the hospital, testified on Feb. 26, 2009, the victim came to her at the hospital very distressed, upset and crying. She said she knew she needed help and walked her to the emergency room.She said she did not know of the alleged assault until later.Kristine Walters, a social worker at the hospital, testified briefly about the victim's discharge from the behavioral health unit and about the referral of treatment to Degilio.Hatton rested her case at that point, but noted one more commonwealth witness would be called Wednesday afternoon.Defense sideBernadette Beckett of Hometown told the jury she had a personal relationship with Degilio beginning in 2008. She said it turned sexual about a year later. During the period she said she had numerous contacts with Degilio.On Feb. 24, 2009, she said she had a call from Degilio at her workplace in Summit Hill at 10:48 a.m. There was a second call at 11:01 a.m. from Degilio stating his 11 a.m. appointment had not shown up and they decided to meet at a residence along Lentz Trail. They met about 11:20 a.m. and had sexual relations. She then returned to her job about 11:40 a.m. and Degilio told her he was returning to his office for a noon appointment.Hatton asked how Beckett knew that her meeting with Degilio was at that exact time. Beckett said she marked it on her desk calendar as she often did when she met with Degilio. She said she would meet with Degilio for such meetings sometimes two or three times a week.However, Hatton showed her a copy of her desk calendar for that month, noting there were no other notations of meeting Degilio other than the Feb. 24 meeting.Beckett said the sexual part of the relationship ended in the fall of 2009, but the two remained friends.Rebecka Kadingo of Northampton testified that she knew Degilio through treatment sessions involving her stepdaughter.She said on Feb. 20, 2009, she called Degilio concerning a problem with her stepdaughter and wanted to arrange an appointment. She also said she wanted to meet with him to discuss the matter.She said she arrived at his office about 12:25 p.m. and was speaking with him in the waiting area when the victim arrived. At the time she did not know who she was, other than a patient.She said Degilio then entered his office with the victim. Kadingo said later she knocked on the door because she had an injury to a finger and asked if he had a bandage. She said Degilio was at his desk and the victim in a seat in front of him.After that she returned to the waiting area and said she heard the victim's voice getting louder, but could not make out what was being said, but did hear the word "gun." She said the victim then left and appeared to be upset. She said Degilio and the victim were only in his office about 10 minutes.During Monday's testimony by the victim, she said her meeting with Degilio on Feb. 20 lasted about an hour.The case is expected to go to the jury Thursday.