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The state of Tennessee gave a medical license to a known violent sex offender because state law doesn't necessarily prohibit a sex offender from practicing medicine.
State gave known sex offender medical license
Seeded on Mon Feb 1, 2010 5:24 PM EST
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A police report shows that in 1987, while a medical resident in OB/GYN in New York, Livingston was indicted on first-degree rape, sodomy and sexual abuse charges after at least a six-year sexual relationship with his 15-year-old stepdaughter.
Livingston pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of sexual misconduct -- a misdemeanor.
"Why, if he's on a sex offender list for violating children, how he could be practicing medicine, seeing children?" said the parent.
- 2 votes
#1 - Mon Feb 1, 2010 5:25 PM ESTbecause state law doesn't necessarily prohibit a sex offender from practicing medicine.
Well, okay. But it doesn't mean they have to allow it, either, does it?
This is disconcerting and frightening.
- 3 votes
#2 - Mon Feb 1, 2010 5:31 PM ESTWhat blows my mind is that a doctor doesn't have to renew their license more often. I am a massage therapist and my license has to be renewed every 3 years each time the review includes a criminal back ground check. Not to mention all the continuing ed and national certifications. I cannot believe a doctor does not have to have more frequent and rigorous checks
- 1 vote
#3 - Mon Feb 1, 2010 6:29 PM ESTThis guy was turned down for a license in two states before he applied in Tennessee. Shouldn't that have sent off alarm bells?
A mother uncovered this because of her intution. She took her eight year old daughter to him but something didn't feel right, so she looked up his record. If she could do it, why couldn't the licensing board?
The fact that he raped an underage girl should have kept him from being able to be around any child. That's what being a registered sex offender restricts, among other things, so how did he get around that?
- 2 votes
I'd love to know more detail on this. You have some great questions, Loretta.
- 2 votes
I was wondering the same thing Loretta. Even if the law doesn't prohibit him from having a license it should prohibit him from being around children. Although if he was convicted in '87, I wonder if he had to be a registered sex offender??? It's possible he wasn't on a registry or is somehow grandfathered around the mandate to be away from children.
It seems like from the article there was a whole bunch of bobbing and weaving and slipping through the cracks.
the board did tell Channel 4 that only felony information stays on the medical license file permanently; misdemeanors drop off after 10 years. In Livingston's case, even though his crimes earned him a listing as a violent sex offender, his 1987 conviction was a misdemeanor.
It is really sickening to me that this man was charged with first-degree rape, sodomy and sexual abuse charges after at least a six-year sexual relationship with his 15-year-old stepdaughter and was allowed to plead out to a misdemeanor charge! He should have had a big S.O. branded right into his forehead for all the world to know!
#4 - Mon Feb 1, 2010 9:09 PM ESTI agree about the reduction of charges. We need to put pressure on prosecutors and judges to stop that practice. He should have been in jail for years.
I saw a discussion about this on HLN. They said he was a registered sex offender. I believe this article also said the mother of the little girl found him on the sex offender registry.
On HLN there was a doctor who said when you apply for a license, they specifically ask about convictions, including misdemeanors and that this guy filled it out truthfully.
That's mind boggling. He tells them he's convicted of a sex crime against a minor and a registered sex offender and they still license him as a general practitioner who's main clientele will be families with children?
- 2 votes
That's mind boggling. He tells them he's convicted of a sex crime against a minor and a registered sex offender and they still license him as a general practitioner who's main clientele will be families with children?
I know! It says he also told the truth about being turned down by other states. It sounds like he was sneaky enough to move from state to state until he found a system he could slip through.
Not to defend the state, but...if there is no law protecting the state if they don't license him they could be open to a lawsuit. Unfortunately that is the society we live in.
It also says that his hearing about his license has been twice delayed. Has he been allowed to continue to practice during the delays?
Yes, he's continuing to practice, according to what they discussed on HLN.
- 1 vote
Geez! We really need to clamp down on our sex offender laws. It is a very serious problem in this country.
- 1 vote
In Livingston's case, even though his crimes earned him a listing as a violent sex offender, his 1987 conviction was a misdemeanor.
To me this is the really messed up part.
- 1 vote
#7 - Mon Feb 8, 2010 12:08 PM ESTIt's all pretty messed up, including that. They should not be allowed to plead down to a misdemeanor, which means it's viewed as no big deal. What kind of message does that send to the victim and to others who are tempted to commit the same crime?
- 1 vote
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