Local surgeon pleads not guilty
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
February 10, 2016
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/021016_PS_Jefferson_Arraignment
A local orthopedic surgeon who is accused of making threatening remarks involving a gun in the operating room at Baptist Health Paducah pleaded not guilty Tuesday in McCracken District Court.
Ted Jefferson is charged with third-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree disorderly conduct after he allegedly had what a nurse described as a "meltdown" in the hospital's operating room on Jan. 26.
The plea was entered by his lawyer, Bard Brian. Jefferson made no comments during the hearing.
Paducah police said they were called to the hospital by the hospital's administrators, who reported Jefferson had gotten angry and made comments about bringing a gun to the hospital.
Administrators said they confronted Jefferson and told him to take 30 minutes to cool down after which he was allowed to return to the operating room.
When he went back to the operating room, administrators said Jefferson berated the staff, demanding to know who had complained about him.
Police said Jefferson was confronted a second time, suspended for 72 hours and escorted from the hospital by security.
At about 3 a.m. the next day, police encountered the doctor in one of the hospital's parking lots.
Body camera footage recorded by officers at the scene shows Jefferson explaining that he was trying to get to his office.
In the footage, Jefferson said he couldn't sleep and wanted to read the hospital's bylaws to see if the hospital had the right to suspend him.
"Based on civil liberties and due process, I'm entitled to a hearing before they can suspend me," he told the officers. "That's why I came here to write a letter stating such. They do not have the right to just suspend me like this."
Jefferson said he was going to request his privileges be reinstated.
Brad Housman, the hospital's chief medical officer, was called to the hospital to determine whether Jefferson was allowed to go to his office, which Housman allowed.
Later that day, officers went to Jefferson's office with a warrant for his arrest.
Body camera footage showed the officers explaining to the doctor that the hospital had pressed charges, and they were going to have to take him to jail.
Jefferson was cooperative, explaining his side of the story.
"What I said was 'The only way I'm going to get a response out of anyone in this facility is if I go home and get a gun,'" he told the officers.
The doctor explained he had gotten angry because the surgical instruments he was about to use were dirty.
"There was bone and bone cement from the previous patient in my tray," he said. "That's what I lost my temper over ... and I really don't think that's such a bad thing to lose your temper over. I really don't."
Jefferson also acknowledged his outburst was inappropriate.
"I don't have any intention of hurting anyone, and I didn't have any intention (then)," he said. "It was said flippantly, and I didn't mean it and I regret saying it, but the hospital honestly hasn't been cleaning my instruments. That's what I was so mad about. My instruments were dirty and they're not fixing it ... nobody's doing anything. I feel like it's a patient-care issue, so I lost my temper."
Baptist Health Paducah has declined to comment on the incident or the doctor's allegations.
Jefferson's next court date is Feb. 23.
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
Ted Jefferson is charged with third-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree disorderly conduct after he allegedly had what a nurse described as a "meltdown" in the hospital's operating room on Jan. 26.
The plea was entered by his lawyer, Bard Brian. Jefferson made no comments during the hearing.
Paducah police said they were called to the hospital by the hospital's administrators, who reported Jefferson had gotten angry and made comments about bringing a gun to the hospital.
Administrators said they confronted Jefferson and told him to take 30 minutes to cool down after which he was allowed to return to the operating room.
When he went back to the operating room, administrators said Jefferson berated the staff, demanding to know who had complained about him.
Police said Jefferson was confronted a second time, suspended for 72 hours and escorted from the hospital by security.
At about 3 a.m. the next day, police encountered the doctor in one of the hospital's parking lots.
Body camera footage recorded by officers at the scene shows Jefferson explaining that he was trying to get to his office.
In the footage, Jefferson said he couldn't sleep and wanted to read the hospital's bylaws to see if the hospital had the right to suspend him.
"Based on civil liberties and due process, I'm entitled to a hearing before they can suspend me," he told the officers. "That's why I came here to write a letter stating such. They do not have the right to just suspend me like this."
Jefferson said he was going to request his privileges be reinstated.
Brad Housman, the hospital's chief medical officer, was called to the hospital to determine whether Jefferson was allowed to go to his office, which Housman allowed.
Later that day, officers went to Jefferson's office with a warrant for his arrest.
Body camera footage showed the officers explaining to the doctor that the hospital had pressed charges, and they were going to have to take him to jail.
Jefferson was cooperative, explaining his side of the story.
"What I said was 'The only way I'm going to get a response out of anyone in this facility is if I go home and get a gun,'" he told the officers.
The doctor explained he had gotten angry because the surgical instruments he was about to use were dirty.
"There was bone and bone cement from the previous patient in my tray," he said. "That's what I lost my temper over ... and I really don't think that's such a bad thing to lose your temper over. I really don't."
Jefferson also acknowledged his outburst was inappropriate.
"I don't have any intention of hurting anyone, and I didn't have any intention (then)," he said. "It was said flippantly, and I didn't mean it and I regret saying it, but the hospital honestly hasn't been cleaning my instruments. That's what I was so mad about. My instruments were dirty and they're not fixing it ... nobody's doing anything. I feel like it's a patient-care issue, so I lost my temper."
Baptist Health Paducah has declined to comment on the incident or the doctor's allegations.
Jefferson's next court date is Feb. 23.
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
