The 12-year law enforcement veteran was arrested and terminated from the police force in October of that year, after the three women leveled allegations against him.
"Instead of serving and protecting, former Officer Forman served himself and took advantage of the weak -- girls who had hit rock bottom," Deputy District Attorney Elan Zekster told jurors in his opening statement.
"While he was wearing his police shirt, his police badge, uniform pants and shoes, he ... took advantage of these women," the prosecutor said.
Zekster said the first victim, a prostitute and drug user identified only as Nadia, was walking the streets of Riverside one night in March 2008 when Forman rolled up in his patrol unit and told her to get inside.
According to the prosecutor, she was smoking crack at the time and got into the back of the car believing she was under arrest.
Forman parked the patrol unit in a remote location, went around to the rear of the vehicle, unzipped his pants, "placed his hands on top of the car and had Nadia perform oral sex," Zekster alleged.
According to an affidavit filed in support of an arrest warrant, the woman "did not question the situation" and "did not want to make Officer Forman mad," choosing instead to comply with his request.
She told investigators that Forman dropped her outside a store in downtown Riverside and gave her $50. The woman informed other Riverside police officers about the alleged sexual assault three months later.
Within weeks of the encounter with Nadia, a woman named Tessa met Forman while she was walking the streets, Zekster said.
The drug addict and sometime prostitute wanted to report being raped, the prosecutor said. But instead of taking down her information, the defendant allegedly drove her to a secluded spot, put his hand down her pants and tried to kiss her, the witness later told police.
She said she jumped out of the car when Forman became "aggressive."
On April 14, 2008, Forman allegedly assaulted a third woman, Kathryn, according to the prosecution.
The twice-convicted felon and her parolee boyfriend were involved in a heated dispute with two acquaintances at her Mission Inn Avenue apartment when Forman and other officers showed up, apparently in response to a 911 call, according to court papers.
The officers discovered drug paraphernalia and evidence that someone in the apartment had been using methamphetamine. Kathryn testified today that she was on felony probation and feared being arrested.
She said Forman assured her she would not be taken into custody "as long as you cooperate."
The woman alleged Forman told her he would come back at the end of his shift, and he did. She told investigators that after Forman, who was still in uniform, arrived at the apartment, he directed her friends to leave and then instructed her to follow him into her bedroom.
The officer allegedly yanked his pants down around his knees, took a seat on the edge of the woman's bed and ordered her to perform oral sex, which she did, according to court documents.
Six weeks later, when police officers went to her apartment on a domestic violence call, she reported the alleged sexual assault.
According to Zekster, during an investigation of the victims' allegations, detectives learned that the department-issued tape recorder Forman had been furnished for use during contact with suspects was missing dozens of files.
"The memory card was missing. It could not be found," Zekster said.
The prosecutor asked jurors, at the end of the trial, to "let former Officer Forman know that we know what you did" and find him guilty.
Defense attorney Mark Johnson told jurors his client was not a criminal, but had failed to "follow all of the procedures of the Riverside Police Department."
"If he had, maybe we wouldn't be here today," Johnson said. According to the lawyer, Forman's accusers offer "different versions" of what allegedly happened between them and the defendant.
He said Nadia's allegations will "affect her credibility," including her claim that "Forman gave her speed and was high himself" when the two met.
Johnson said investigators interviewed Tessa three times before she "came up with some story about a sexual battery." She initially denied ever having any intimate contact with the ex-cop, the defense attorney said.
He also told the jurors there is no physical evidence tying Forman to any of the women.
"I would ask you to reserve judgment and acquit Bob Forman at the end of this trial," the attorney told the panel.
Forman remains free on a $50,000 bond.
