Jury convicts Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles in first battery trial

*Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove a statement incorrectly attributed to the prosecutor.

After roughly two hours of deliberation, a jury found the Pensacola dentist charged with touching a female employee guilty of misdemeanor battery Wednesday afternoon.

Charles Stamitoles, who was in trial last week for the same offense before the judge declared a mistrial, was found guilty of slapping the buttocks, kissing the neck and grabbing one of his employees from behind without her consent May 24 and May 25.

Assistant State Attorney Nathanial Sebastian told the jury this case "boiled down to" the employee's testimony of how the events transpired in May, saying "her testimony has been consistent through the entirety of the case."

"I've proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt," he told the jury. "I ask you to return a verdict of guilty."

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However, one of Stamitoles' defense attorneys, Gene Mitchell, suggested to the jury that Stamitoles' former employee's testimony was not credible and does not meet the burden of reasonable doubt.

"What is it about (the victim's) testimony that is so impressive that it should be believed beyond a reasonable doubt?" Mitchell asked of the jury. "I suggest that there is nothing.

"The other office workers told you 'I was there that day and I never heard or saw a butt slap, I never saw a wrist get grabbed, I never saw or heard anyone crying, I never saw or heard anyone get lured into an office' ... none of this," Mitchell continued explaining to the jury. "I suggest it just didn't happen."

At the end of the day, the jury concluded the evidence showed that Stamitoles committed the acts he was accused of, convicting him of the charges.

Sentencing has been set for 4 p.m. Nov. 1.

Stamitoles faces five additional counts of misdemeanor battery and will be back in court Nov. 8 for a final plea day before his jury selection scheduled for Nov. 21.

Benjamin Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com or 850-435-8578

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles guilty of battering employee