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Earl Bradley

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Earl Bradley
Born
Earl Brian Bradley

(1953-05-10) May 10, 1953 (age 71)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationPediatrician (former)
Criminal statusIncarcerated at the Cheshire Correctional Institution in Cheshire, Connecticut[1]
MotiveSexual gratification
Conviction(s)June 23, 2011:
Criminal chargeChild sexual abuse (x529)
Penalty14 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 165 years
Details
Victims≥127 children
(1,400 families alleged abuse civilly)
Span of crimes
1995–2009
State(s)Delaware and Pennsylvania
Date apprehended
December 18, 2009

Earl Brian Bradley (born May 10, 1953)[2] is a former pediatrician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and convicted serial child rapist. He was indicted in 2010 on 471 charges of molesting, raping, and exploiting 103 child patients (102 girls and 1 boy).[3] Some of the victims were as young as three months old.[4][5][6] He was charged in April 2010 with an additional 58 offenses in relation to the abuse of 24 additional victims.[7] He has been described by a number of reputable news outlets and commentators as "the worst pedophile in American history."[8][9][10][11][12][13] Dr. Eli Newberger, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a pediatrician who studied child abuse cases for almost 40 years, described Bradley's case "the worst pediatrician abuse case I've ever heard of;"[14] Newberger died in 2024.[15] Bradley had access to an estimated 7,000 pediatric patients. According to a personal injury law firm in Baltimore, one of many representing class action plaintiffs, 1,400 families in the class action alleged abuse. Bradley was ultimately found guilty on all consolidated charges brought and was sentenced to 14 consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 165 years in prison on June 26, 2011. His conviction was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court on September 6, 2012.[16] In the wake of his arrest, it emerged that he had faced accusations of child abuse as early as 1995 in both Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Life and reputation

[edit]

Bradley was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from the Temple University School of Medicine in 1983 and completed his pediatrics residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in 1986.[17] Around 1984, he began working at Frankford-Torresdale hospital on Knights Road in Northeast Philadelphia. He opened his own practice in a small complex just a few blocks away, at Academy and Red Lion Roads in Morrell Park.[18] He continued to work at Jefferson until a sudden move to Lewes, Delaware on the Delmarva Peninsula in 1995.[19] The move was abrupt and poorly planned, with many patients complaining that they were not even notified that appointments had been cancelled.[18]

In Lewes, Bradley was widely regarded as eccentric.[20] His practice, BayBees Pediatrics, had patients from area farming and resort communities.[21] The medical offices, located near Lewes in unincorporated Sussex County,[22] were ostentatiously decorated with carnival rides and other child-friendly decorations, such as a giant statue of Buzz Lightyear from Disney's Toy Story and a small movie theatre showing Disney movies.[23] He owned several vehicles which were painted yellow and black with eyes and a tail to resemble bumblebees.[24] The oddities extended to his home, where he prominently displayed a full suit of medieval armor on his porch.[25]

Accusations of child abuse

[edit]

The first known allegations of inappropriate conduct by Bradley came in 1994 when Thomas Jefferson University Hospital investigated a patient's complaint of sexual misconduct.[26] There was a second allegation in 1995.[27] The hospital could not verify the claim, and records remain sealed.[26] Bradley promptly closed his fledgling private practice and relocated with his children to Lewes, where he took a job with Beebe Medical Center.[19]

In 2004, Bradley's sister Lynda Barnes, who had served as an office manager at his medical office, alerted the state medical society that parents had complained to her about inappropriate touching by Bradley.[28] Barnes also reported that Bradley physically and emotionally abused his own son, and stole prescription antidepressants from the office.[29]

Allegations were made again in 2005. Police records show that a nurse reported that he videotaped kids playing and other doctors reported complaints about long and unnecessary vaginal exams.[27] When police in Milford, Delaware sought a warrant to arrest him for inappropriately touching a child patient, the Attorney General's office concluded at the time that there was insufficient evidence to warrant prosecution.[29]

On December 16, 2009, following a year-long investigation and complaints of inappropriate touching by a two-year-old patient, Bradley was arrested and charged with nine counts, including a felony charge for a fourth degree rape of a two-year-old patient.[30] Soon after, relying on more than 13 hours of videotaped rapes and molestations discovered by police in Bradley's home and office, additional warrants were issued. These included felony warrants for several counts of child exploitation and first-degree rape.[31]

Arrest, indictment, and conviction

[edit]

Bradley surrendered to authorities on December 18, 2009. His bail was set at $2.9 million cash, which was not posted. An initial preliminary hearing was delayed after prison officials placed Bradley on suicide watch.[32] His attorney, Eugene Maurer, denied that Bradley was suicidal but complained that prison officials had deprived him of his prescription glasses.[33]

In February 2010, a grand jury sitting for the Delaware Superior Court indicted Bradley on 471 charges, including counts of rape and exploitation. 103 victims were identified in the indictment, though the Attorney General indicated that they expected to identify even more victims.[4] The indictment included allegations that Bradley had forced children as young as three months old to engage in intercourse and oral sex.[34] It also revealed that Bradley had videotaped sexual assaults during which his victims "appeared to lose consciousness" from Bradley choking them by forcing oral sex on his child victims. The videos also show children in diapers screaming as they attempted to escape from Bradley before he raped them in an outbuilding on the property.[35][36] Dr. Newberger alleged that "There is a reasonable likelihood for a lot of these children of having subsequent symptoms."[37]

Though his private lawyers quit after Delaware took steps to freeze his assets, Bradley was afforded a public defender and arraigned on March 24, 2010. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. A follow-up hearing was scheduled for May 17.[38]

The Delaware Board of Medical Practice suspended Bradley's license permanently on February 19, 2010.[39] Delaware governor Jack Markell, concerned about failures in the medical, police and legal communities that allowed Bradley's crimes to continue for more than a decade, has called for an independent review. Widener University Law School Dean Linda Ammons was appointed to head up that review.

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, son of then Vice President Joe Biden, announced in a January 2010 speech that he would not seek election to his father's former seat in the United States Senate because he felt it was more important to fully pursue Bradley's prosecution.[40] Bradley's case was moved to New Castle County from Sussex County because of concerns about getting an impartial jury in Sussex County, as many families of his 127 alleged victims lived there. However, Bradley then waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial. The case was then moved back to Sussex County. After hearing evidence on June 7, 2011, Judge William C. Carpenter, the presiding Judge in Bradley's bench trial, stated he would issue his verdict at a later date.[41]

On June 23, 2011, Bradley was convicted on all 24 counts on a consolidated indictment (which originally contained 529 counts): 14 counts of rape, seven counts of assault, and three counts of sexual exploitation of a child.[42] On August 26, 2011, Judge Carpenter sentenced Bradley to the maximum sentence of 14 consecutive terms of life in prison plus a further 165 years in prison without parole. Under Delaware law, anyone convicted of raping three separate persons automatically receives life without parole. Judge Carpenter said that Bradley "betrayed his patients' trust and disgraced the medical profession", and that "you will never be in a position to harm a child again".[43]

Bradley appealed to the Delaware Supreme Court, claiming that the original search warrant was not specific enough about where the evidence would be located, and that the police exceeded the limits of the warrant without probable cause. The Delaware Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Bradley's convictions on September 6, 2012.[16]

The office complex housing his former practice was demolished on October 10, 2011.[44] The former site of the office building is now home to Herbalife store Turtley Awesome Nutrition. Earlier, state police confiscated the contents of Bradley's storage locker in Rehoboth Beach and destroyed them; the items were to be auctioned off to satisfy unpaid rent, but Biden intervened on behalf of the victims to buy them for a symbolic $1 so as not to take the chance of them ever being used again.[45]

Bradley was held in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) of the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in New Castle County until 2016, when Delaware authorities announced they would move him to an out-of-state prison because many of his victims and/or state residents otherwise affected by his actions either worked in or were incarcerated in Delaware prisons.[46] Connecticut authorities revealed that Bradley was moved to the Cheshire Correctional Institution in Cheshire, Connecticut.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Revealed: Earl Bradley now incarcerated in Cheshire Connecticut". 105.9 FM. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  2. ^ "Earl Bradley" (PDF). Cape Gazette. December 18, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 7, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  3. ^ "Delaware pediatrician faces more sex charges". CNN. 2010-04-19. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19.
  4. ^ a b "US Delaware Pediatrician..." The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  5. ^ "Grand jury indicts Dr. Earl Bradley in sexual abuse of 103 child patients". The News Journal. February 23, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  6. ^ "'America's worst pedophile'?". The Week. 2010-02-24. Archived from the original on 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  7. ^ MacArthur, Ron (2010-04-20). "New charges filed against Earl Bradley". Cape Gazette. Archived from the original on 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  8. ^ Prof.Helen McCaffrey (2010-04-11). "The Justice of God". Wgmd.Com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  9. ^ "'America's worst pedophile'?". The Week. 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  10. ^ "Earl Bradley – Worst Pedophile". CALLS FOR JUSTICE. 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  11. ^ "Dr. Earl Bradley sex case ignites outrage". The News Journal. 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  12. ^ "Dr. Pedophile". Article.wn.com. 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  13. ^ Velez-Mitchell, Jane (February 24, 2010). "Details Emerge of Pediatrician Accused of Abusing Patients (Transcript)". CNN.com. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  14. ^ "Pedophile pediatricians follow patterns". Daily Record. 2010-05-02. Retrieved 2010-05-18.[permanent dead link‍]
  15. ^ Marquard, Bryan (November 3, 2024). "Dr. Eli Newberger, pioneering physician in child abuse field who championed music's power, dies at 83". Boston Globe. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Delaware Supreme Court, Bradley v. State, Del. Supr., No. 467, 2011". Delaware Supreme Court. September 6, 2012.
  17. ^ "Dr. Earl Bradley, Pediatrician - Doctor in Lewes, DE - Pediatrics". Vitals.com. 2010-02-22. Archived from the original on 2010-02-26. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  18. ^ a b "Dr. Earl Bradley, Charged With Raping, Sexually Abusing Young Patients Has Ties To Philadelphia". cbs3.com. 2009-12-24. Archived from the original on December 28, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  19. ^ a b "'System failed' with pedo doc". Winnipeg Sun. 2010-01-10. Retrieved 2010-05-18. [dead link‍]
  20. ^ "Warnings About Accused Del. Pediatrician Surface". ABC News. 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  21. ^ Barrish, Cris (January 10, 2010). "Many missed alleged horrors". Delaware Online. Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  22. ^ "Superior Court of the State of Delaware: Sussex County Search Warrant" (PDF). Delaware Online. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2013. 18259 Coastal Highway Lewes, DE 19958 - The address is not located in the Lewes city limits, and/or was not in the city limits at the time.
  23. ^ "Mother Tells Authorities to Remove Toys from Bradley's Property". WBOC-TV 16. 2010-02-16. Archived from the original on 2010-04-06. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  24. ^ "Delaware crime: Dr. Earl Bradley's property cleaned up". Archived from the original on February 21, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
  25. ^ Forney, Dennis (2009-12-21). "The inscrutable, monstrous Dr. Bradley". Barefootin'. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  26. ^ a b Ritter, Laura (2009-12-24). "Bradley accused of misconduct in Pennsylvania". Cape Gazette. Archived from the original on 2010-09-18. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  27. ^ a b "Delaware Doctor". Dr. Phil.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  28. ^ "::. WMDT 47 News Delmarvas Choice .::". Wmdt.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-18. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  29. ^ a b Mavity, Ryan (2010-01-07). "Milford police investigated Bradley in 2005". Cape Gazette. Archived from the original on 2010-02-26. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  30. ^ "Lewes doctor released on bail". Cape Gazette. 2009-12-18. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  31. ^ "Charges mount in Lewes pediatrician case". Cape Gazette. 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  32. ^ Friedman, Emily (December 24, 2009). "Pediatrician Earl Bradley Accused of Raping Child Patients, Videotaping Acts". ABC News. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  33. ^ Shortridge, Dan (2010-01-15). "Doctor waives initial hearing". The News Journal: Archives. Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  34. ^ Smith, Lewis (2010-02-24). "Doctor in US to go on trial for 471 charges of child rape". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  35. ^ Barrish, Cris (August 26, 2011). "Ex-pediatrician gets 14 life sentences in sex assaults". Azcentral.com. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  36. ^ "Delaware crime: Dr. Earl Bradley sex case ignites outrage". The News Journal. 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  37. ^ "Child sex abuse scandal stuns Del. town". NBC News. Associated Press. February 26, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  38. ^ Carlin DeGuerin Miller (2010-03-25). "Alleged Predator Pediatrician, Earl Bradley, Pleads Not Guilty to 471 Counts of Sexual Abuse". CBS News. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  39. ^ "Board revokes license of Dr. Earl Bradley". Newark Post. February 20, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  40. ^ Randall Chase (2010-01-25). "Beau Biden, VP's son, won't seek US Senate seat". SignOnSanDiego.com. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  41. ^ "Delaware pediatrician goes on trial for alleged sex abuse". CNN. 2011-06-07.
  42. ^ "Dr. Earl Bradley found guilty of raping, abusing child patients". The News Journal. June 23, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  43. ^ Chase, Randall (August 26, 2011). "Del. pediatrician gets life for abusing patients". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  44. ^ "Bradley office complex to be demolished next month". 6abc.com. Associated Press. September 16, 2011. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  45. ^ Sanginiti, Terri (29 January 2011). "Delaware police destroy accused pediatrician Earl B. Bradley's toys". The News Journal.
  46. ^ Fisher, James (2016-06-13). "Earl Bradley moved to prison out of state". The News Journal. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
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