An Army doctor appeared in a military courtroom in Washington state on Friday facing over 50 counts of sexual misconduct alleged by numerous patients. This case could potentially be one of the largest prosecutions of its kind by the Army.
The charges against the physician, Maj. Michael Stockin, include 47 counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of indecent viewing under the military code of justice. The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, prosecuting the case, dropped one count of abusive sexual contact after reviewing the evidence.
All 41 alleged victims are male, with accusations that Stockin tried to justify his actions as having a “medical purpose.”
Stockin was expected to plead not guilty but deferred entering a plea at the hearing. His attorney, Robert Capovilla, has requested that judgment be withheld until the case is heard and expressed intentions to fight against all allegations until a verdict is reached.
“Until then, we sincerely hope that the United States Army respects Major Stockin’s Constitutional rights throughout this process,” Capovilla stated. “We urge everyone to keep an open mind and remember that Major Stockin is presumed innocent.”
The Office of Special Trial Counsel stated, “We are confident that the facts and evidence support a conviction, which will be demonstrated at trial on Oct. 7.”
Two former patients spoke publicly for the first time in exclusive interviews with CBS News, recounting how Stockin’s actions breached their trust. Both plan to testify at Stockin’s court martial scheduled for October.
The investigation remains open, and additional victims are encouraged to come forward. Stockin has been suspended from seeing patients but remains in an administrative role at Madigan.
If convicted on all counts, Stockin could face a prison sentence of over 330 years.
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