2nd Rape Trial for Psychologist Begins : Courts: First jury was deadlocked on whether the Antelope Valley man attacked the female probation department worker in his home.

An Antelope Valley psychologist’s second rape trial began Monday with prosecution and defense attorneys portraying the purported victim as a terrified woman and as a liar eager to collect a civil judgment against the doctor.

Charles Catanese, who maintains offices in Van Nuys, is accused of attacking the woman, a 38-year-old employee of the Los Angeles County Probation Department, during a visit she made to his home on Jan. 2, 1992.

Reiterating her previous statements, the alleged victim testified Monday that she was attacked after being lured to Catanese’s remote residence near Gorman because the psychologist promised to treat her with an “unconventional method of therapy which he said was comprised of Scripture readings and homeopathic cures.”

While Catanese admits striking up a friendship with the woman, he maintains nothing inappropriate ever happened and he did not even see the woman on the day of the alleged assault.

In his first trial, a Van Nuys Superior Court jury was unable to reach a verdict, splitting 6 to 6.

The woman first met Catanese on Dec. 23, 1991, when she was referred to him by an insurance company for an evaluation of a sexual harassment claim against co-workers at a juvenile detention facility.

Soon after this initial meeting, Catanese phoned the woman, she said. This led to two treatment sessions at his house, the second one on the day she was raped, the woman testified.

Catanese offered her an unknown substance, white crystals, which he said would relax her, and then he had her lie down on his couch. Minutes later, Catanese was naked and fondling her breasts, she said.

She testified that Catanese told her that the rape was part of a “desensitization” treatment because she had a problem with men.

In his opening statement, defense attorney Russell Iungerich said the woman “manufactured this story, was never raped, and she is lying.”

Catanese did not meet the woman at a Lancaster auto repair shop on the day of the purported rape as she claims, and two witnesses will confirm this, Iungerich said.

The woman was at the doctor’s home on Dec. 30--when she arrived unannounced--and Catanese gave a polite tour of his home, the attorney told the jury, explaining how the woman gained a detailed knowledge of his furnishings.

Iungerich showed the jury a detailed list of lengthy phone calls that the alleged victim made to Catanese, which he said showed that she could not have been victimized.

Catanese’s license to practice psychology has been suspended by an administrative law judge in response to the woman’s complaint. A proceeding to determine whether it should be permanently revoked is pending.