Earl Bradley
Encyclopedia
Earl Brian Bradley is a former pediatrician in Lewes, Delaware
. He was indicted in February 2010 on 471 charges stemming from his alleged molestation, rape
and exploitation of 103 child patients, some as young as three months old. He was charged in April 2010 with an additional 58 offences in relation to the abuse of 24 additional victims. He has been described by a number of reputable news outlets and commentators as "the worst pedophile in American history." Dr. Eli Newberger, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a pediatrician who has studied child abuse cases for almost 40 years said Bradley's was "the worst pediatrician abuse case I 've ever heard of."
School of Medicine in 1983 and completed his pediatrics residency at Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital in 1986. 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. He continued to work at Jefferson until a sudden move to Lewes on the Delmarva Peninsula
in 1995. The move was abrupt and poorly planned, with many patients complaining that they were not even notified that appointments had been cancelled.
In Lewes, Bradley was widely regarded as eccentric. His BayBees Pediatrics medical offices 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. He owned several vehicles which were painted yellow and black with eyes and a tail to resemble bumble bees. The oddities extended to his home, where he prominently displayed a full suit of medieval armor on his porch.
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. Barnes also reported that Bradley physically and emotionally abused his own son, and stole prescription antidepressants from the office.
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. 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.
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. 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.
In February 2010, a Grand Jury
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. The indictment included allegations that Bradley had forced children as young as 3 months old to engage in intercourse and oral sex. It also revealed that Bradley had videotaped sexual assaults during which his victims "appeared to lose consciousness" and others where the toddler victims appeared to run away screaming.
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 pled not guilty to all charges. A follow on hearing was scheduled for May 17.
The Delaware Board of Medical Practice suspended Bradley's license permanently on February 19, 2010.
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 American Vice President of the United States
Joseph 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.
Bradley's case was moved to New Castle County from Sussex County because of concerns about getting an impartial jury in Sussex County (many families of his alleged victims live there). However, Bradley then waived his right to a jury trial, and the trial (which will now be by bench) was then able to be 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.
On June 23, 2011, Bradley was convicted on all 24 counts of rape, assault, and sexual exploitation of a child.
On August 26, 2011, Carpenter sentenced Bradley to 14 consecutive terms of life in prison without parole for 14 counts of first-degree rape, and a further 165 years in prison for ten counts of assault and sexual exploitation of a child. Under Delaware law, anyone convicted of raping three separate persons automatically receives life without parole. Carpenter said that Bradley betrayed his patients' trust and disgraced the medical profession. "You will never be in a position to harm a child again," he added.
It was announced on September 16, 2011 that the office complex housing his former practice will be demolished on October 10, 2011.
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
. He was indicted in February 2010 on 471 charges stemming from his alleged molestation, rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and exploitation of 103 child patients, some as young as three months old. He was charged in April 2010 with an additional 58 offences in relation to the abuse of 24 additional victims. He has been described by a number of reputable news outlets and commentators as "the worst pedophile in American history." Dr. Eli Newberger, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a pediatrician who has studied child abuse cases for almost 40 years said Bradley's was "the worst pediatrician abuse case I 've ever heard of."
Life and reputation
Bradley was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from the Temple UniversityTemple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
School of Medicine in 1983 and completed his pediatrics residency at Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University is a private health sciences university in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. The university consists of six constituent colleges and schools, Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson School of Health...
Hospital in 1986. 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. He continued to work at Jefferson until a sudden move to Lewes on the Delmarva Peninsula
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...
in 1995. The move was abrupt and poorly planned, with many patients complaining that they were not even notified that appointments had been cancelled.
In Lewes, Bradley was widely regarded as eccentric. His BayBees Pediatrics medical offices were ostentatiously decorated with carnival rides and other child-friendly decorations, such as a giant statue of Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear is a character and the main deuteragonist of the Toy Story franchise. Buzz is a space ranger action figure and the co-leader of Andy's Room. He has also appeared in the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins and the television series spin-off Buzz Lightyear of...
from Disney's Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
and a small movie theatre showing Disney movies. He owned several vehicles which were painted yellow and black with eyes and a tail to resemble bumble bees. The oddities extended to his home, where he prominently displayed a full suit of medieval armor on his porch.
Accusations of child abuse
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. Young Isaac Pitman. There was a second allegation in 1995. The hospital could not verify the claim, and records remain sealed. Bradley promptly closed his fledgling private practice and relocated with his children to Lewes, DE, where he took a job with Beebe Medical Center.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. Barnes also reported that Bradley physically and emotionally abused his own son, and stole prescription antidepressants from the office.
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. When police in Milford, Delaware
Milford, Delaware
Milford is a city in Kent and Sussex counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 9,559....
, sought a warrant
Warrant (law)
Most often, the term warrant refers to a specific type of authorization; a writ issued by a competent officer, usually a judge or magistrate, which permits an otherwise illegal act that would violate individual rights and affords the person executing the writ protection from damages if the act is...
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.
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. 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.
Arrest, indictment and fallout
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 a suicide watch. His attorney, Eugene Maurer, denied that Bradley was suicidal but complained that prison officials had deprived him of his prescription glasses.In February 2010, a Grand Jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
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. The indictment included allegations that Bradley had forced children as young as 3 months old to engage in intercourse and oral sex. It also revealed that Bradley had videotaped sexual assaults during which his victims "appeared to lose consciousness" and others where the toddler victims appeared to run away screaming.
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 pled not guilty to all charges. A follow on hearing was scheduled for May 17.
The Delaware Board of Medical Practice suspended Bradley's license permanently on February 19, 2010.
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
Widener University
Widener University is a private, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania.Its main campus sits on 108 acres , just southwest of Philadelphia...
Law School Dean Linda Ammons was appointed to head up that review.
Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden
Beau Biden
Joseph Robinette "Beau" Biden III is an American lawyer, Army JAG officer, and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He serves as the Attorney General of Delaware and a Major in the Delaware Army National Guard...
, son of American Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Joseph Biden, announced in a January 2010 speech that he would not seek election to his father’s former seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
because he felt it was more important to fully pursue Bradley’s prosecution.
Bradley's case was moved to New Castle County from Sussex County because of concerns about getting an impartial jury in Sussex County (many families of his alleged victims live there). However, Bradley then waived his right to a jury trial, and the trial (which will now be by bench) was then able to be 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.
On June 23, 2011, Bradley was convicted on all 24 counts of rape, assault, and sexual exploitation of a child.
On August 26, 2011, Carpenter sentenced Bradley to 14 consecutive terms of life in prison without parole for 14 counts of first-degree rape, and a further 165 years in prison for ten counts of assault and sexual exploitation of a child. Under Delaware law, anyone convicted of raping three separate persons automatically receives life without parole. Carpenter said that Bradley betrayed his patients' trust and disgraced the medical profession. "You will never be in a position to harm a child again," he added.
It was announced on September 16, 2011 that the office complex housing his former practice will be demolished on October 10, 2011.