A Salt Lake woman testified Tuesday that a Bulgarian doctor raped her twice despite her pleas and prayers to stop.
The testimony came during the first day of an unusual trial for Bojidar G. Bakalov, 37, who is charged with raping the woman April 6 in the foothills near the University of Utah. Bakalov had been in Salt Lake City for more than a year as a guest of the university on a fellowship. He was here to observe and learn medical techniques.But the doctor has expressed beliefs that court employees and the attorneys hired to defend him are agents of the KGB who want him convicted to prevent him from criticizing the Bulgarian government.
The 35-year-old woman said her roommate introduced her to Bakalov on April 1, and he indicated he needed some typing done. She said they worked together for three different evenings before he began making advances.
The woman discouraged his advances but later agreed to go for a ride with him to visit his office at the medical center. He then offered to drive her to a place with a beautiful view and drove her to a remote area. When he began making advances again, the woman said she got out and began walking home.
The victim said Bakalov picked her up and carried her to the back of his pickup truck and began raping her. She said she prayed aloud to God for him to stop. "He just laughed and he said, `Where's your god now? . . . He's not here. Make me your god.' "
The woman said Bakalov raped her twice and then laid on his back with his hands behind his head while she got dressed. She said she quoted scriptures to him for about 10 minutes before he took her home.
The woman told police he asked her if she used contraceptives. When she said no, he said, "That's really stupid. I can give you medication so you'll abort, or I can give you money," according to a police report.
The woman said she called Bakalov the following day from Temple Square and invited him and his mother to attend a session of the LDS Church's general conference with her. She said he declined, but then asked her if she wanted to get together with him again in the back of his truck or at a motel.
The woman told her roommate about the rape that evening and notified authorities two days later.