Inmates allege sexual abuse by prison doctor

WILMINGTON, Del. — Nine inmates have filed a civil lawsuit in Superior Court against a former doctor at Sussex Correctional Institution alleging the doctor sexually assaulted them on numerous occasions "under the pretext of performing medical exams."

The suit claims there was no medical reason for the contact and the doctor, Lawrence McDonald, acted "to satisfy his own prurient sexual desires."

Dover attorney Stephen Hampton filed the lawsuit on behalf of the inmates this month and said the doctor's practices were so well known at SCI that correctional staffers referred to him as "Dr. Feelgood" and "the finger."

Hampton said prison officials ignored repeated complaints about McDonald from both inmates and staff, defended him against the charges and retaliated against inmates who complained.

Department of Correction spokesman John Painter said the department does not comment on pending litigation.

McDonald could not be reached for comment and an attorney who previously has represented the doctor said he could not comment until he was authorized.

The inmates claim in the lawsuit that McDonald performed unnecessary rectal exams, often without gloves, and fondled their genitals without any medical purpose. In one case, an inmate reported McDonald fondled him when he sought medical treatment for a rash on his face.

In a different case, McDonald reportedly made the inmate say "thank you, doctor" after he performed rectal exams.

Another inmate claims despite years of invasive examinations — that included inappropriate contact by McDonald — it was only after McDonald left the prison that he was diagnosed with hepatitis C. The suit charges that McDonald ignored or was indifferent to the prisoner's actual medical issues.

A fourth inmate claimed McDonald stuck him in the groin with a needle, allegedly to draw blood, but no blood was drawn.

The lawsuit is the latest reported problem at the Sussex County prison.

A former guard, Christopher Peck, pleaded guilty earlier this month to six counts of having sexual relations in a detention facility. He was charged in November with having sex with at least three female inmates on 11 occasions.

In July, a guard was suspended with pay on charges that he had sickened several inmates by baking Ajax or Comet into bread.

Hampton said this latest lawsuit "is just another symptom of the malaise at SCI."

Hampton charged that the prison and state officials had been put on notice about McDonald in 2008 when inmate Ben Roten filed afederal lawsuit alleging that McDonald had molested him.

In 2007, a part-time psychiatrist resigned from SCI in protest because superiors ignored her when she reported several inmates accused a medical colleague of sexual abuse.

"I was told ... that I should be a team player and let those allegations pass. ... I felt I had to resign and seek the opportunity to discuss these issues with you," wrote the psychiatrist in a letter to former DOC Commissioner Carl Danberg, according to the suit.

Danberg replied that the allegations were investigated by Internal Affairs and the Medical Society of Delaware and determined to be unfounded, according to the suit.

Roten's federal lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, though the suit notes that Roten, "as an unrepresented inmate, was unable to retain medical experts to contradict those employed by McDonald."

McDonald no longer works at the prison. The suit alleges prison officials fired McDonald after hearing allegations made by inmate Theodore Barrett, a plaintiff in the case.

The suit states Barrett was later a target of prison staff who called him "the snitch of the month" over the intercom.

The prisoners who filed the suit include Barrett, Ronald Keis, Wilbur Medley, Victor Talmo, Raymond Brown, Gene Schultz, David DeJesus, Derrick Jackson and Joseph Vincent.

Hampton said all had ongoing, serious medical issues that required them to frequently visit the infirmary.

All nine are still incarcerated.

The suit also names Correct Care Solutions LLC — the private company that employed McDonald and took over from Correctional Medical Services — along with Jill Mosser, identified as McDonald's supervisor, and Warden G.R. Johnson, Deputy Warden Linda Valentino and Correctional Officer Lamont Hammond.

The lawsuit charges McDonald with battery and the intentional infliction of emotional distress and alleges constitutional violations against the remainder of the defendants, including a prisoner's Eighth Amendment protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

It seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and court costs.