DENVER — A cardiologist accused of drugging more than a dozen women and sexually assaulting some of them pleaded not guilty Friday morning in Denver District Court.
Stephen Matthews is accused of drugging 13 women and raping some of them. He faces more than 40 charges in the case.
During his arraignment hearing Friday morning, Matthews did not speak. His attorney entered the plea on his behalf.
Matthews remains in jail under a $5 million bail until his trial, which is now scheduled for March.
Prosecutors began building a case against Matthews this year after some of his alleged victims came forward saying he had drugged them either at restaurants or at his home, and then sexually assaulted them. He met his victims through dating websites, prosecutors allege.
During a two-day preliminary hearing this summer, Denver Police detectives who worked the case shared victims' testimony in which some claimed they remember playing Jenga with Matthews and taking shots of tequila at his home, and then suddenly losing their memory. Victims told police that some of the Jenga blocks had "dares" written on them, according to an arrest affidavit.
Detectives also shared text messages alleged victims sent to Matthews in which they shared concerns that they might have been drugged. In one of the exchanges read in court, Matthews denied that he was involved.
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