Special investigative story by USA Today about a surgeon who was accused of rape by two different patients, but remained on staff, treating patients for several years. One patient was allegedly drugged and raped a year after the first, though no information about it had been made available to patients or the public.
Confidential deals can obscure sexual misconduct allegations against doctors as Cleveland Clinic case shows
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ainst-doctors-alleged-rape-doctors/868921001/
There are a number of disturbing things about this story, including the way it was (or wasn't) handled by law enforcement and prosecutors.
Here's the story of the first patient who was assaulted:
Duncan's rape kit test proved inconclusive. The doctor took a polygraph, results were referred to a grand jury. A civil case was settled out of court, a criminal case was not pursued. The file, at the order of a county judge, was ordered expunged within a month after the second patient reported their sexual assault to the hospital ombudsman. Dr. Williams continued to see patients.
The next year, it's alleged to have happened again:
The first patient's case was kept secret. The second patient didn't know the first, but described a similar situation. She reported it to the hospital, but instead of firing him, the hospital was promoting him to patients, advertising him with positive articles online. Neither patient has ever spoken to the other.
Dr. Williams continued to work at Cleveland Clinic as a colorectal surgeon until about a month ago. He left to work at Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University. Since the story broke, he's been placed on leave and is not seeing patients.
Both settlement deals with the victims included "gag clauses" that prevented anyone from sharing the information about Dr. Williams. Nothing was put on his permanent record.
Confidential deals can obscure sexual misconduct allegations against doctors as Cleveland Clinic case shows
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ainst-doctors-alleged-rape-doctors/868921001/
There are a number of disturbing things about this story, including the way it was (or wasn't) handled by law enforcement and prosecutors.
Here's the story of the first patient who was assaulted:
The scene in Williams' office after the alleged rape on April 11, 2008, was nothing short of pandemonium, according to a report filed by the Westlake, Ohio, police department.
Patient Lachelle Duncan was receiving a rectal exam from Williams, the report said, when she jumped up and exclaimed the doctor had inserted his penis in her rectum and that she saw him holding it in his hand.
She ran out of the room without pants and shouted, "Why did he do it? Why did you do this?" Williams replied, "I don't know," with his head in his hands, according to an interview with medical assistant Patricia Bacha contained in the police report.
Williams explained to police the presence of semen in one of his examination rooms was the result of masturbation to relieve stress, the police report said.
Duncan's rape kit test proved inconclusive. The doctor took a polygraph, results were referred to a grand jury. A civil case was settled out of court, a criminal case was not pursued. The file, at the order of a county judge, was ordered expunged within a month after the second patient reported their sexual assault to the hospital ombudsman. Dr. Williams continued to see patients.
The next year, it's alleged to have happened again:
Kristin Fehr went to see Williams to have a hemorrhoid removed 10 months after Duncan did. On Feb. 6, 2009, Williams brought her into the examination room alone, she told police, gave her two white pills and a cup of water and said she needed to take the pills immediately.
Fehr recalled groggily getting on the table and just as hazily leaving the medical center with her then-boyfriend, who was waiting in the car.
In October 2014, Fehr's memories started to come back in flashes when something like a doctor's appointment would prompt them, she said in an interview and a letter USA TODAY reviewed that she sent to the Cleveland Clinic ombudsman.
She remembered being pushed from behind, turning and seeing Williams holding his penis. "Everything I was remembering was disturbing," Fehr said.
The first patient's case was kept secret. The second patient didn't know the first, but described a similar situation. She reported it to the hospital, but instead of firing him, the hospital was promoting him to patients, advertising him with positive articles online. Neither patient has ever spoken to the other.
Dr. Williams continued to work at Cleveland Clinic as a colorectal surgeon until about a month ago. He left to work at Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University. Since the story broke, he's been placed on leave and is not seeing patients.
Both settlement deals with the victims included "gag clauses" that prevented anyone from sharing the information about Dr. Williams. Nothing was put on his permanent record.