Former Delaware pediatrician awaits judge ruling on child rape charges

[News_Editor]

Former Delaware pediatrician awaits judge ruling on child rape charges

2011-06-09 06:29:29 GMT+7 (ICT)

LEWES, DELAWARE (BNO NEWS) -- A former pediatrician from the state of Delaware is now awaiting the judge's ruling against him as he faces 24 child sexual abuse-related charges, including rape and exploitation, local media reported Wednesday.

Earl Bradley, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but operated in Lewes, Delaware, was indicted in February 2010 on 471 charges for allegedly raping, exploiting, and molesting 103 child patients. Two months later, he was charged with 58 more offenses for abusing another 24 victims.

Delaware State Police Detective Scott Garland of the High Technology Crimes Unit was the chief witness against Bradley, as he obtained around 13 hours of harsh video evidence when searching Bradley's home and office under an issued warrant, the Sussex Countian reported.

The video evidence, which includes 89 incidents with 86 different victims, was given to Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter Jr. for further examination, but according to Garland's testimony, the videos show Bradley forcing several child victims being forced to perform oral sex on him. In some occasions, the child is seen nearly choked to death, while in other incidents, the victims' parents were in the same room, separated only by a drape, as Bradley would perform 'routine examinations.'

Bradley's victims were averagely aged around three years old, and include children as young as three months old, while the eldest include two 14-year-old girls. The original charges were consolidated into 24 charges, including 14 first-degree rape, 5 second degree assault and 5 sexual exploitation of a child charges.

Bradley, if convicted, could be sentenced to life in prison for each of the 14 rape charges, in addition to the assault and sexual exploitation of a child charges. Judge Carpenter did not issue a scheduled verdict, but it would be read in open court at a later date, he said.

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