Surgeon scheduled to stand trial May 13
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
March 9, 2016
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/030916_PS_Jefferson_Trial
A trial date has been set in the case against a local orthopedic surgeon accused of making gun-related comments in an operating room at Baptist Health Paducah.
Charged with third-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree disorderly conduct, Dr. Ted Jefferson will go to trial on May 13 in McCracken District Court. A pretrial conference has been scheduled for April 19 to address any motions that may be filed in the coming weeks.
Jefferson was arrested Jan. 27 after he allegedly had what a nurse described as a "meltdown" in the hospital's operating room the day before.
The day Jefferson was arrested, body camera footage collected by police officers showed Jefferson explaining why he had gotten so upset. The surgeon alleged he was given contaminated instruments during surgery, stating there were still bone fragments and bone cement from a previous patient on the utensils.
Jefferson's attorney, Bard Brian, estimated the trial would take one or two days, explaining there are multiple witnesses and police officers who would be called to testify. Brian also expressed concern that jury selection would be a challenge since the case has received extensive media attention.
"This is a highly publicized case and that's always a concern," he said after the hearing. "And whether it will be or won't be a problem, I don't know. Usually that problem is remedied by getting an increased jury pool to choose from."
"The reason this case is high-profile is not because of any actions of Dr. Ted," Brian added. "The reason this case is high-profile is because of what it's uncovered about problems that appear to be systemic at Baptist Health Paducah that are not being addressed publicly by the hospital."
Brian said there are many questions the hospital should have to answer.
"There are questions that need to be asked of Baptist Health Paducah, and they're not being asked," he said. "So I will ask those questions."
Brian said he wants to know how many patients have been contacted, following a procedure, regarding a risk of infection due to unsanitary equipment and why the hospital won't publicly release the findings and recommendations of committees, study groups or outside consultants that have examined the facility's sterilization procedures within the past five years.
The attorney said he also plans to ask if the hospital still has data regarding the number of corrupt surgical trays that have been returned due to improper cleaning in the past two years.
Brian said he also questions the hospital's claim that Jefferson's accusation of unsterilized utensils has already been investigated by the Office of the Inspector General and found to be unsubstantiated.
"Where is this finding? Is it in writing, was it verbal?" he asked.
Baptist Health Paducah issued a statement Tuesday that said, "Last month, Ted Jefferson's peers voted to revoke his medical staff privileges based on his own admitted statements, and it would be disrespectful to comment other than to say we are focused on exemplary patient care."
In a previous statement the hospital said Jefferson "has attempted to divert attention away from what he did," by pointing the finger back at Baptist Health.
Assistant County Attorney Jamie Mills, who is prosecuting the case, said the case against the surgeon is not about Baptist Health, but Jefferson's actions.
"This case is about workers being threatened," he said. "People have a right to work without being in fear. We have to take these threats seriously because we don't have the luxury of second-guessing whether the person is serious or not."
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
Charged with third-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree disorderly conduct, Dr. Ted Jefferson will go to trial on May 13 in McCracken District Court. A pretrial conference has been scheduled for April 19 to address any motions that may be filed in the coming weeks.
Jefferson was arrested Jan. 27 after he allegedly had what a nurse described as a "meltdown" in the hospital's operating room the day before.
The day Jefferson was arrested, body camera footage collected by police officers showed Jefferson explaining why he had gotten so upset. The surgeon alleged he was given contaminated instruments during surgery, stating there were still bone fragments and bone cement from a previous patient on the utensils.
Jefferson's attorney, Bard Brian, estimated the trial would take one or two days, explaining there are multiple witnesses and police officers who would be called to testify. Brian also expressed concern that jury selection would be a challenge since the case has received extensive media attention.
"This is a highly publicized case and that's always a concern," he said after the hearing. "And whether it will be or won't be a problem, I don't know. Usually that problem is remedied by getting an increased jury pool to choose from."
"The reason this case is high-profile is not because of any actions of Dr. Ted," Brian added. "The reason this case is high-profile is because of what it's uncovered about problems that appear to be systemic at Baptist Health Paducah that are not being addressed publicly by the hospital."
Brian said there are many questions the hospital should have to answer.
"There are questions that need to be asked of Baptist Health Paducah, and they're not being asked," he said. "So I will ask those questions."
Brian said he wants to know how many patients have been contacted, following a procedure, regarding a risk of infection due to unsanitary equipment and why the hospital won't publicly release the findings and recommendations of committees, study groups or outside consultants that have examined the facility's sterilization procedures within the past five years.
The attorney said he also plans to ask if the hospital still has data regarding the number of corrupt surgical trays that have been returned due to improper cleaning in the past two years.
Brian said he also questions the hospital's claim that Jefferson's accusation of unsterilized utensils has already been investigated by the Office of the Inspector General and found to be unsubstantiated.
"Where is this finding? Is it in writing, was it verbal?" he asked.
Baptist Health Paducah issued a statement Tuesday that said, "Last month, Ted Jefferson's peers voted to revoke his medical staff privileges based on his own admitted statements, and it would be disrespectful to comment other than to say we are focused on exemplary patient care."
In a previous statement the hospital said Jefferson "has attempted to divert attention away from what he did," by pointing the finger back at Baptist Health.
Assistant County Attorney Jamie Mills, who is prosecuting the case, said the case against the surgeon is not about Baptist Health, but Jefferson's actions.
"This case is about workers being threatened," he said. "People have a right to work without being in fear. We have to take these threats seriously because we don't have the luxury of second-guessing whether the person is serious or not."
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
