The respected emergency room physician who was removed from Mount Sinai Hospital for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a female patient was indicted today for sexually abusing a total of four female patients. Manhattan DA Cy Vance said, "One was sedated to the point of being physically helpless—a nightmare scenario for any patient to endure."
Dr. David Newman
In January, a 22-year-old patient visited the hospital's ER for shoulder pain; during her visit, she claimed that after a nurse had given her morphine for pain, Newman gave her another dose in spite of her telling him that she was already given some. She said that she heard some noises and felt someone touch her breast and something on her face and mouth before Newman allegedly ejaculated on her.
The patient was very medicated as Newman wiped her off but she kept the hospital blanket and gown, which was later tested and reportedly tested positive for semen. The patient is now suing Newman and Mount Sinai.
After this alleged incident was publicized, a second victim came forward and said she was groped by Newman during a September 2015 visit.
Newman, who was initially arrested on January 19, is charged with one count of first-degree sexual abuse and four counts of third-degree sexual abuse; all four victims were women ages 18-29 who visited Mount Sinai's ER between August 2015 and January 2016.
Vance added, "I would like to thank these brave women for their strength in coming forward, and encourage any other additional potential victims to call our Sex Crimes Hotline at 212-335-9373."
Newman has given TedTalks and in 2013 he wrote an op-ed for the NY Times about gun violence. His lawyer told NBC New York that Newman is a "good man and excellent doctor... We plan on dealing with this in a responsible manner."
