January 28, 2025 • 69 mins
What if the medical world held secrets darker than you could ever imagine? Welcome to "Doctoring the Truth," where we peel back the layers on true crime cases nestled within the healthcare industry. This episode kicks off our chilling series, "The Sins of the Stethoscope," centered on the brutal murder of Dr. Brian Stidham, found dead under mysterious circumstances in Tucson, Arizona. We revisit the fateful day of October 5, 2004, when a seemingly routine day turned tragic. Dr. Stidham's body was found in his own practice's parking lot, his wallet untouched, leaving behind chilling questions about the truth behind his murder.
Journey with us into the life of Dr. Brian Stidham, a Texas native whose passion for medicine led him to become a renowned pediatric ophthalmologist. Through vivid stories from friends and colleagues, we illuminate his life, from his academic pursuits at Vanderbilt and Harvard to his cherished moments with his wife, Daphne. We contrast this with Bradley Allen Schwartz's tumultuous path—a fellow ophthalmologist whose life was riddled with challenges, from professional setbacks to personal demons. As we unravel Brad's story, a complex tapestry of manipulation and rivalry emerges, hinting at motivations that might have led to Brian's untimely demise.
Unraveling further, we explore the tangled web of Brad's relationships, revealing a man whose chaos seemed to ensnare everyone around him. From unsettling interactions with women to professional rivalries, Brad's manipulative behavior is laid bare. Alongside this narrative, we tackle broader ethical issues facing the medical field today, from regulatory oversights to the psychological impacts of rapid information access on patients. Join us as we expose these dark shadows and prepare for the continuation of this gripping story in the next episode of "Doctoring the Truth.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Okay, I need my mouse , Don't worry, I'll cut it out.
Oh, hello, hello.
Welcome to Doctoring the Truth,the podcast where we pull back
the curtain on true crime inhealthcare.
I'm your host, Jenna Tunnell,and with me is my delightful
(00:30):
co-host, amanda House.
We are two doctors of audiologyhere to bring you Inside Real
Life Cases where once trustedhealthcare providers veered off
the ethical path into criminalterritory.
Hey, amanda, welcome to ourfirst podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
How excited are you Um a ball of nerves and
excitement.
I don't know why nerves?
Because no one can see us.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
No one can see us, it's just you and I.
Right, yeah, for now, I'mexcited.
Yeah, well, I am really excitedas well.
I think we should just diveright into it.
Um, today's episode's titledthe Sins of the Stethoscope,
which is hard to say.
Well, I am really excited aswell.
I think we should just diveright into it.
Today's episode's titled theSins of the Stethoscope, which
is hard to say, and is part oneof a two-part series about the
(01:15):
murder of Dr Brian Stidham, apediatric ophthalmologist.
On the evening of October 5th2004, in Tucson, arizona,
37-year-old Brian Stidham, awell-known pediatric
ophthalmologist, was found deadin the parking lot of the North
First Medical Plaza where he ranhis private practice.
He'd been stabbed 15 to 17times and suffered a skull
(01:38):
fracture.
Police discovered his wallet onhim, which still contained cash
, so it didn't seem like it wasa robbery.
This was a crime of anotherkind.
Was it revenge?
Was it a chance encounter witha murderer on the loose?
Stay tuned, listeners, to findout the resources that I used to
research.
This episode included a booktitled Toxic Rage A Tale of
(02:01):
Murder in Tucson by journalistAJ Flick.
Rage A Tale of Murder in Tucsonby journalist AJ Flick an
episode of Forensic Files I mean, of course entitled Office
Visit, an episode oninvestigation discovery entitled
Killing Time, a 48-hour mysterydocumentary entitled An Eye for
an Eye and various articlesfrom the Tucson Citizen, which
(02:22):
is a newspaper at the time.
So the rest of the resourceswill be listed in our show notes
.
I should give a trigger warning, for those who need it We'll be
talking about murder and aviolent crime, so let's get into
it.
Let's do it.
At approximately 1020 on theevening of Octoberober 5th 2004
(02:46):
in tucson, arizona, a 911dispatcher contacted pima
sheriff's department to respondto reports of a man sprawled out
on the black top of an officecomplex parking lot.
The police arrived momentslater to find the man deceased
on the ground with 15 to 17 stabwounds and a skull fracture.
His wallet located on hisperson was cash still inside
(03:10):
identified him as Brian Stidham,age 37.
Dr Stidham wasa well-knownpediatric ophthalmology surgeon
who owned a private practice inthe North First Medical Plaza
where he was found.
Earlier that evening he'd givena lecture to medical students
in his office and police noted apartly eaten slice of pizza on
the ground beside him, which isa detail that just I hate that
(03:33):
oh my God, I know, it just hurtmy heart.
I can't imagine.
Brian's day started like manyothers.
He got up at 5 am.
He went to lift weights, whichactually was the first time
since in a while, because he hadheart surgery about a month ago
.
He left his house for theoffice at 7.20 in the morning
(03:54):
and he had a packed schedule ofpatients to see that day.
At 1 pm he called his wife,daphne, who said she wanted to
bring their children by to seehim at the office, since she
knew he had to stay late thatnight to give a lecture to his
medical students.
He later on called his wife onher cell at 545, but he sounded
rushed.
They talked about an upcominggala and what Daphne planned to
(04:17):
wear to it.
He hung up and said he had togo wait for the pizza that he'd
ordered while Daphne went tocook dinner for their two
children.
Christine Heller and her fiancéAnthony arrived in his pickup
truck around 10 pm that evening.
Christine worked as a massagetherapist and she'd accidentally
(04:37):
forgotten her engagement ringat the office because she would
typically take it off to givemassages.
I mean, who wants a ring?
Oh yeah, nobody wants that Inyour biz.
So she was worried aboutsomeone swiping it though,
because cleaning crew and otherpeople would come in during the
night Well sure.
So her fiancé agreed that hewould go with her because she
(04:59):
just felt creeped out aboutgoing back to the office at
night.
So he agreed to accompany herto retrieve it.
When they pulled into themedical complex parking lot they
saw a man in medical scrubssprawled out on the ground,
unmoving.
Anthony pulled his truck upnext to the guy, rolled down his
window and yelled hello, excuseme, sir, are you all right?
(05:21):
He got out of the truck andnoticed papers were just strewn
everywhere over the parking lot.
He asked him again if he wasokay, but there was no response.
Anthony then nudged him withhis foot no response.
He got back into the truck tomove the truck away from the
body.
Christine, he's not moving.
He said Is he drunk?
(05:41):
Christine asked.
Anthony said I know like what?
Seriously natural response, Iguess anthony.
I mean, do you come across thatmuch, right?
Um, anthony said.
Anthony said he didn't know.
But christine, who had basiclife support training, said they
should check for pulse and call9-1-1.
Good girl, christine, let's allgive her a clap out because
(06:02):
first thing we learned right inour annual BLS yeah, exactly,
but he didn't have a pulse andhe wasn't warm, but she said he
wasn't clammy or cold either.
So you know, that sayssomething about how long the
body had actually been there.
But let's talk about the victim, david Brian Stidham.
He was born on August 13th 1967in longview, texas, to parents
(06:27):
mac and joyce.
Stidham brian was apparentlynamed after his uncle david, but
everyone just called him brian.
I mean, what's the point ofthat?
Um, brian's uncle david was aphysician and so was his
grandfather smarty pants family.
Yeah I know right.
I couldn't find muchinformation about his early
childhood, but I did find aninterview with a close friend of
(06:49):
Brian's in the Tucson Citizennewspaper from May of 2007.
And his friend, dwayne Probst,talks about their experiences
together.
Dwayne and Brian met in theeighth grade.
They were both drummers atrival middle school bands.
Dwayne shared that Brian wasn'ta great musician but he worked
his tail off to be perfect andby our senior year he was all
(07:11):
state.
This is a quote from him.
I was the alternate secondchair.
I had to go sit in the audienceand watch him with his mom and
dad.
That just shows you know,perfectionism can take you
anywhere.
So the boys also had a closefriend named Joe Little.
According to Dwayne, they'dhang out, wash his truck, spend
(07:35):
time doing homework together andrun around town.
Long view.
Texas in the late 80s could berough, though.
Dwayne recalled there werefights all the time.
We grew up in that time wheresomebody would say I'm going to
kick your ass and you say andyou say, well, all right, where
do you want to do it?
Uh, but brian wasn't you and mea sandwich bike rack, meet me
at noon.
But brian wasn't the kind ofperson that would engage in that
(07:56):
.
So apparently the only troublethat brian ever got into with
the law was when he was caughtwith booze at the age of 20 in
Georgia.
I mean, come on, we can forgivehim.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
We've all been there.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, right.
His prosecution was deferredand during their freshman year,
all three kids set theirintentions for what they wanted
to be when they grew up.
Brian said he was going to be adoctor, joe was going to be a
lawyer and Dwayne a doctor.
Joe was going to be a lawyerand Dwayne a musician.
And, according to Dwayne, allof these three dreams turned out
(08:33):
to be true.
Oh, I love that.
I love that for them.
Who?
Speaker 1 (08:34):
does that?
I had no clue what I was goingto be.
I mean, I didn't know what.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
I was going to be till.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I met you.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Yeah, till I made you , I was like you need to do this
, amanda, all right.
So after graduating high schoolin 1985, brian moved to
Nashville with Twain andattended Vanderbilt University.
I mean, he was obviously veryintelligent and driven because
he then attended Harvard MedicalSchool, I know.
(09:02):
So he attended Harvard in 1990and he graduated in 1993.
I mean, it's a four-yearprogram.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I'm just saying the guy's smart, very smart.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So I looked at the requirements to become a board
certified pediatricophthalmologist and according to
the American board ofophthalmology it's four years of
undergrad, four years ofmedical school, one year
clinical internship with ninemonths of that uh, with a broad
experience in direct patientcare across different
specialties, and then threemonths of experience in
(09:35):
ophthalmology and then afterthat it's residency training for
at least three years, but itcan take up to seven years of
residency to complete the boardcertification requirements.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Oh, my OMG.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Oh my gosh.
I'm like are you tired?
I am just tired thinking aboutit.
So he, stidham, attendedresidency at the University of
Texas Southwestern MedicalSchool's Internal Medicine
Department for a year, but thenhe switched to ophthalmology
medicine department for a year,but then he switched to
ophthalmology.
Dwayne said that Brian had toldhim that the reason that he
(10:09):
switched to ophthalmology frominternal med was because he
didn't want the phone to beringing in the middle of the
night, you know.
And he really liked workingwith kids.
But our little friend Brianwasn't all about the books.
He began dating his neighbor,daphne Herding, soon after he
arrived in Dallas.
Daphne, daphne the two wouldrun, they would go running
(10:32):
together.
They'd spend their eveningstalking and drinking sake.
I hope they had some sushi withthe sake.
I'm sure they did.
Yeah, I couldn't find anyevidence of that, but let's hope
.
Dwayne noted that Daphne wasgorgeous and that he could tell
they were a good couple becauseit seemed like they could read
each other's minds Cute.
He stated that's so cute, right, I want that for?
(10:54):
Do you have that?
I want that for everybody.
Oh, warm fuzzies.
He stated that Brian wasactually engaged to another girl
at one point Scandal.
But Brian's friends didn't likethat girl and Brian called off
the wedding two weeks before thewedding day.
(11:14):
Yikes Dwayne said Daphne wasdifferent and a lot like Brian.
She said he was quiet, reserved.
Or she yeah, he said that shewas quiet reserved.
Or she yeah, he said that shewas quiet, reserved.
And a woman of few words quote.
She chooses her words carefully.
She just has a very sweet souland is just a dear end.
(11:34):
Quote.
Daphne later described Brian assincere and approachable, with
a big heart.
She said he was easy to talk toand he made me feel so good
inside and I felt safe with him.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
That's sweet.
I'm just like still thinkingyou were engaged before too,
Plus all this medical school.
Like you were busy, I mean busyboy, right that's a lot to be
juggling Right.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Good multitasker, yeah Well, the two eventually
married in a garden ceremony atthe Crescent Hotel in Dallas on
May 31st 1997, with Dwayne asthe best man, of course.
Dwayne, I know, wait till youhear what the mother-in-law says
.
I mean, I don't have such alucky experience with this Okay.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I was like this is going to go either way.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
But his mother-in-law , jung Ja Herding, said I used
to tell him he had no flaws.
He was the perfect son-in-law,the perfect husband.
Aww End quote I love him.
Dwayne started a band withanother friend of his from
Longview, texas, named PorterHowell.
The name of the band was haveyou heard of it, little Texas?
(12:43):
Oh, no, well, a lot of peoplehave, because apparently they
play country music.
Surprise, I looked them up andthey're still going strong.
They've produced eight albumsand played thousands of shows
across the country.
They still tour and the band iscomprised of the original
members Porter Howell, who isthe lead guitarist and lead
(13:06):
vocals, dwayne O'Brien, who'srhythm guitar and vocals, and
Dwayne Probst, who does bass andvocals, and drummer Del Gray.
First of all, what are the oddsof two Dwaynes in one band?
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Of course it's a country band.
I know someone from Texas.
I'm going to ask her if sheknows about this.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
During its heyday, little texas ranked or racked up
12 top 20 singles, with seventop tens and three number ones.
They received multiple grammy,cma and acm nominations, winning
the american country music fortop vocal group of 1994.
So to date the band, the bandmembers, have continued to write
or, co-write, record and playevery single note on every
single they've released.
Okay, which is so impressive,but to me the most remarkable
(13:51):
thing about this band is theirhair.
So if you just pull up yourgoogle machine, have a peek at
those early 90 perms, oh my god,it's so fabulous, there is so
much hair.
So please do yourselves a favor.
Little Texas in the 90s Wow,okay, but back to Brian.
Brian and his bride spent theirhoneymoon in Hawaii and then
(14:14):
they moved to Indianapolis for afellowship that Brian had in
peds ophthalmology and adultstrabismus.
Strabismus is eye misalignment,so that would eventually become
his specialty.
The couple moved back to Texasa year later when Brian was
hired as a faculty member at theUniversity of Texas in Houston.
They then had two childrenAlexander Brian, spelt
(14:39):
A-L-E-X-A-N-D-R-E Brian in 2000,and Catherine Elizabeth in 2003
.
In 2001, brian saw anadvertisement in a medical
journal for a pedsophthalmologist position in a
private practice.
Brad Schwartz MD was looking tohand over his pediatric
(15:00):
patients to keep up with thedemands of his adult patients.
Brian got excited because heloved Tucson.
Daphne was quoted as sayinghe'd never seen anything like
the West the cacti, the vibrantsunrises and sunsets.
He fell in love with it andsaid honey, we've got to come
here, we've got to stay here.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
she said Gotta do it.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Gotta do it.
Dwayne, however, rememberstrying to warn Brian against
moving there and he said weirdthings happen there.
I swear there's an aura of evilto it.
I wish you would think aboutthis.
Uh, foreshadowing, yeah, Uh,gotta talk to Dwayne.
I mean wow, but Brian loved themountains.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
How did he know this Is the band touring at this time
?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
I don't know, Like maybe they just had a bad gig
Dang, just bad vibes there, Idon't know.
Brian just brushed it off.
He's like I love the mountains,I love hiking, and he's like
the partner that I'm going to beworking with is ultra cool.
He's giving me the keys to thekingdom.
It's going to be great.
(16:06):
I'm going to be doing exactlywhat I've always wanted to do.
Now, talking to anotherhealthcare professional that
prefers to work with kids, Imean I get it right.
Adults are grumpy.
They've got a lot to complainabout.
I mean kids, kids, you make adifference and they're grateful.
They don't know any better,right?
Yeah yeah, yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah, yep, that's.
That's actually why I only workwith kids.
Now I shouldn't say that's whyit's nice same, I mean it, it's.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
It's definitely a perk.
All right, so now we're gonnadiscuss a piece of toilet paper
stuck to the bottom of the shoethat's been dragged through
sewage and his name is bradleyschwartz.
Yeah, if you can tell, kind ofdon't like the dude sure and so
this is a guy who's taking thepediatric caseload from the
practice owner.
(16:53):
Yes, okay yeah, and his name isbradley schwartz.
So I'm gonna start with acomment from a parent of a
patient of bradley schwartz, whosaid that he told this family
quote there are only two who cansave your child god and me.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
And god's busy excuse me while I'm gagging narcissist
much omg.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
So yeah, we're dealing with a huge ego right
there.
Okay, bradley Problem was hewas actually a very good surgeon
, of course he was.
Other than his verbal ability tocheck his massive, overinflated
opinion of himself, he was bymany accounts great with
patients and their families.
(17:44):
So let's talk about Brad.
Bradley Allen Schwartz was bornon January 14, 1965, in
Brooklyn, new York.
Sorry to our Capricorn friends,he was born to parents Henry
and Lois Schwartz, and he grewup on Staten Island.
The Schwartzes were kosher Jewswho adhered to the strict
(18:07):
dietary rules of the Jewishfaith, so they had two sets of
dishes, cooking utensils, pansand silverware to keep the meat
and the dairy products separate.
Brad apparently carried thistradition on throughout his
adult life and he'd getextremely angry if anyone mixed
dishes around him.
He had quite a temper.
Apparently His father was ahigh school teacher and his wife
(18:29):
was, and his mom sorry, I don'tknow why I said his wife.
Bradley's father was a teacherand Bradley's mom was an
administrator at a largebrokerage firm.
They both felt strongly thatthey needed to put their
children through college, buttheir limited salaries made that
difficult.
Bradley's parents eventuallymoved to Florida to be near
their daughter, a nurse who hadtwo children of her own.
(18:52):
Bradley later said he had anormal childhood.
He didn't suffer abuse orneglect.
He didn't have head injuriesNone of the stuff we look for.
His family was law-abiding.
He played baseball, basketballand was in the Boy Scouts, and
he even became an Eagle Scout.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Whew All the activities.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Right.
Bradley attended public schooland then enrolled in a private
religious high school in NewJersey, new Joisey, from which
he graduated in 1983, and thenhe attended Stony Brook
University of New York atBinghamton, where he studied
history and math and thengraduated at the top of his
class in 1987.
He attended the University ofRochester School of Medicine in
(19:35):
New York and graduated there in1991.
And then, on May 3, 1991, hemarried Joan Samuels, who
graduated from the sameuniversity's Institute of Optics
.
They moved to Connecticut forBrad's internship in internal
med at Norwick hospital and thenafter that he attended attended
his residency at the medicalcollege of Virginia in Richmond,
where he was chief resident ofthe ophthalmology department.
(19:58):
The couple had two children,ariel in August 1992 and Raina
in June of 1995.
Love those names.
Brad's wife, joan, quit heroptical engineering career to
care for the children when Bradbegan his fellowship in
pediatric ophthalmology atWill's Eye Hospital in 1995 in
Philadelphia.
A year later, in July 1996, heaccepted a second fellowship in
(20:22):
neuro-ophthalmology at AlleghenyGeneral Hospital in Pittsburgh,
where he worked until themiddle of 1998.
While he was in residency, bradbegan suffering from immense
dental pain that resulted ineight root canal surgeries, two
extractions and surgery on hisjaw and sinuses and even
painkillers I know it soundsawful Painkillers couldn't even
(20:44):
take the pain away.
So he's in chronic, constantpain and you know we've seen
studies that show that.
You know, chronic pain changesbrain chemistry right, it
changes, it can change a person.
So I wonder if this might bekind of a precursor to what
happens later on.
Might be kind of a precursor towhat happens later on.
(21:08):
So Brad and Joan moved theirfamily to Arizona, where he
accepted a position in anophthalmology group based in
Phoenix for him to be able toopen up an office in Southern
Arizona.
He wanted to take Tucson bystorm, but instead he created a
massive one in his personal life.
So let's talk aboutcredentialing.
As you know, when a providertakes a job with a new company,
you have to submit a series ofapplications to each insurance
(21:30):
company to be able to seepatients and file reimbursement
claims.
This is a long and arduous andfrustrating process at best, but
Brad would have none of it.
He used to call up theadministrator in charge of
credentialing for this practice.
Her name was Carrie DeLorme andhe'd scream at her oh my God,
can you imagine?
Speaker 1 (21:48):
I know Like it's her fault, as if Carrie has anything
to do with like expediting theprocess.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I know right.
At one point she said he calledand left a vulgar message
cursing her out because amedical director from an
insurance company denied asurgical procedure for a patient
due to a lack of medicalnecessity.
On the voicemail, brad toldCarrie that he would kill him
because he was so angry.
Uh-huh.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yeah, not subtle, yeah, so Carrie reported the
phone call to her leadership,who lodged a harassment claim
against Brad on her behalf, andeventually Brad was let go.
He'd apparently ruffled enoughfeathers during that first year,
and this was the last straw.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Brad said he Goodbye.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, goodbye, you're done.
You're done.
Don't let the door hit youwhere the good Lord split you.
Brad said he didn't carebecause he'd open up his new
practice and he wanted to callit Arizona specialty eye care.
However, he had that peskylittle non-compete clause which
(22:55):
he chose to ignore.
So that resulted in the Phoenixophthalmology practice suing
him for breach of contract, buteventually, over time, both
sides settled.
Brad was pretty set up,resulted in the Phoenix
ophthalmology practice suing himfor breach of contract, but
eventually, over time, bothsides settled.
Brad was pretty set up, however,for referrals.
He was the only game in townthat worked with ENT and
neurosurgeons to removecraniofacial tumors, and he also
(23:17):
did pro bono work for patientswithout insurance, including a
group called Manos de Ayuda whowould volunteer monthly to see
patients across the border ofMexico.
Manos de Ayuda, who wouldvolunteer monthly to see
patients across the border ofMexico.
Manos de Ayuda means helpinghands.
Mothers of patients from Mexicowould gift him with hand-woven
tapestries and other items thathe would display in his office.
He also became the officialophthalmologist for the Arizona
(23:40):
State Schools for the Deaf andBlind, which speaks to us
personally Clap, clap, clap,sing that, clap, clap, clap,
sing that Clap, clap, clap andhe volunteered at the VA Go
Veterans.
He enrolled his son andvolunteered for the Cub Scouts.
He sounds like a stand-up guy,right?
Speaker 1 (23:55):
A wonderful competitor, right now he doesn't
sound too bad.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Other than calling him.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Carrie.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, I mean poor Carrie, but other than that's,
he's doing his community, um,his service for the community,
and he seems like he's doing hisjob.
Uh, what could go wrong?
He's a wonderful, compassionatesurgeon, uh, yeah, but he
continued to suffer from dentalpain.
He couldn't chew easily and helost a lot of weight.
(24:22):
He had many medicalappointments of his own that he
was supposed to attend, but, aswe know, it's not easy, when you
have your own practice, to getout for appointments that are
typically during business hours.
So he started to turn toillegal prescriptions of Vicodin
for the pain and Ritalin forhis ADHD.
(24:42):
He began experiencing sharppains in his right shoulder and
numbness in his fingers, which,as you can imagine, is
devastating for a surgeon.
So he ended up having to havespinal surgery.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Dang.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Meanwhile, joan and Brad had a third child, danielle
in 2000.
But Joan filed for divorce in2001 after she caught Brad and
another woman together.
Oops, yeah.
The woman he was cheating onJoan with was a local Pima
County attorney's officeprosecutor.
Her name was Lourdes SalomonLopez.
(25:17):
They met when Lourdes broughther foster daughter for Brad to
treat her esotropia crossed eyesin December of 2000.
The two started dating afterthey were talking on the phone
when Brad called to see how herdaughter was doing.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, I mean super nice for your surgeon.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Yeah, I got lots of time to call every single
patient.
Anyway, she got a call, so thatwas something, and she noted
that he was very curious abouther profession and about the law
.
She brushed it off as he wouldask me how I would try a case.
I guess we'd talk about thethings you do when people are
close.
I mean, people talk about theirprofessional lives and, quote
(25:59):
girl, get a clue.
No victim blaming, but like,seriously, what a character.
So meanwhile Brad's practice wasin high demand.
He had more patients than hecould handle.
He was making more than $2million a year and around this
time he treated a toddler whowas brought to see him for what
his parents thought was a lazyeye.
(26:19):
But Brad discovered a canceroustumor covering the boy's right
eye.
Brad helped remove the tumor,fit him with a prosthetic eye
and received a glowing write-upin the Tucson Citizen newspaper.
It was around this time Bradquit taking his painkillers and
he focused on growing hispractice.
He wanted to venture intoplastic surgery.
Given his recent success, hedecided he needed someone to
(26:41):
take over the peds so he couldfocus on adults.
So he placed that ad in a tradejournal for a pediatric
ophthalmologist, to which Brianresponded.
Brian was so excited about themove, stating the most beautiful
life, beautiful things in lifeare free, love, family and
nature, and quote oh, hang on.
(27:03):
Okay, now it's time for chartnotes.
We're going to take a littlesidebar here.
Welcome to our chart notesegment, where we learn
something about what's happeningin medicine and health care,
(27:24):
and I'm calling this littlechart note.
You'll put your eye out.
Um.
So members of the americanmedical association House of
Delegates called for the AMA todirect public attention to
horrifying but preventable eyeand other injuries in children
caused by toy water beads andtheir blasters recently by the
(27:45):
public.
These water bead gel blasterscan have devastating
consequences to vision, saidAaron Shriver, md, speaking as a
delegate from the AmericanSociety of Ophthalmic, plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery.
Shriver, who's at theUniversity of Iowa in Iowa City,
said one ophthalmology residentdiagnosed hyphoma or blood
(28:06):
inside the the eye caused by thetoys during four of his 20
calls.
Other injuries includerecurrent inflammation in the
eye, iritis and herpetickeratitis or herpes infection of
the cornea, she said.
Douglas Myers, md, chair ofotolaryngology section council,
said the beads can also beingested because they look like
(28:26):
candy.
They can be stuck in ear canalsand noses and have the capacity
to expand up to 1500 timestheir diameter.
You don't have to have ablaster to do injury.
He said oh my God, what are wedoing to our kids?
I mean, I kind of want to seeone, but not in an orifice.
(28:48):
Not in an orifice and not in myoffice.
The resolution urged the AMA touse its muscles to influence
federal reclassification of thebeads as hazardous, especially
for children, duh, and toencourage water bead sellers to
supply customers with eyeprotection and educational
materials on water bead dangersand educational materials on
water bead dangers.
(29:08):
They noted 8,159 emergency roomvisits in the nation due to
water beads between 2007 and2022.
46% of those were fromingestion, 37% of those were ear
canal insertion, 12% nasalinsertion and 9% eye injury.
(29:31):
I mean, have you seen any inyour clinic?
This is uh, yeah, oh, my gosh,yeah.
This is um, alarming.
(29:52):
At least it does remind me ofthe uh, the christmas movie, the
christmas story, yes, wherethat kid he just the whole movie
just wanted a bb gun and hismom kept going.
You'll put your eye out, um,anyway.
Uh, our medical community islargely unaware of these
pathways and therefore unable toform an informed opinion on
(30:14):
this matter, leading to asilence of positions, said Rupa
Naik MD, the author and chairelect of the AMA IMG governing
council, who spoke on its behalf.
So I'm not sure why they don'tunderstand what pathways these
things are getting through, butum sounds like people aren't
aware, aware um.
Many of the delegates expressconcerns that there needs to be
(30:35):
better alignment among statelegislative language to ensure
that legislation supports thedelivery of high quality medical
medical care in the us.
Blah, blah, blah yeah or we justlearned that water beads are
dangerous and maybe we just stopselling them, I don't know.
So in that same meeting theytalked about the immediate
(30:57):
access to records rule.
So apparently the discussionwas passionate and it centered
around how physicians oppose thenation's information blocking
rule, which allows patients tohave access to certain test
results and medical recordsbefore their physician has a
chance to review them.
Contrary opinions also aroseover discussion of a resolution
that would authorize the AMA toadvocate for a 36-hour embargo
(31:22):
on a provision in the federalinformation blocking rule which
requires patients to haveimmediate access to medical
information like test results,as soon as they're available,
even prior to the physician uhreviewing them.
The embargo would givephysicians time to review the
information and be prepared toinform the patient of the
interpretation and treatmentplan so they don't jump to
inappropriate conclusions orpanic reasonably, which they
(31:45):
absolutely do get uh, I meanchart message.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
You're gonna go google it if you don't know what
it means and we all know whatdr google says it's not good,
well and like also from theprovider's perspective is like
(32:11):
if a patient writes into youthat goes to a pool of people
who see it first and then theytry to triage and answer it on
their own.
So it's like you we might noteven see that.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Note for for how long extra worrying time right
that's true yeah, that's a goodpoint, right, just stress
everywhere so to kind of make itgo over better.
From what I can tell, the groupdid offer amendments to say
(32:42):
that the AMA would favorsituations in which patients
would have the option toauthorize an embargo or not, if,
if they wanted immediately, Imean okay.
So in other words, you could gono, I don't want to be able to
see my results for at least 36hours.
Who's gonna do that?
No one wants it right away.
Um, like fast food, we can't,we can't wait.
(33:04):
So I guess that was their wayof like trying to make it more
palatable to pass.
But electronic health recordsystems don't always have that
capacity to allow patients toselect whether they want the
information or not after thephysician reviewed it.
So this amendment would havethe AMA advocate for criteria
(33:25):
for IT developers to includethis option for patients in the
future.
So regulations prioritize anindividual's right to their
medical records.
Research indicates 96% ofpatients prefer receiving
results immediately online, evenwhen the test results are
abnormal.
But several speakers vehementlyopposed this.
(33:45):
Catherine Gutfeind Okay, friendof a gut, sorry, catherine.
Md, an alternate delegate fromCalifornia who spoke for herself
, said that the result has beendisruptive and scary when her
patients get information online.
I don't know how many emailsI've gotten about a urinalysis.
Oh my gosh, I have squamouscells in my urine.
(34:06):
And then they're looking at DrGoogle.
She says I've had patients seetheir cancer diagnosis before I
could get to it and that's atragedy.
I mean, that's something Ididn't even think about.
Yeah, so it's not just thatpeople are going to take results
and then like, blow them out ofproportion.
There could be some bad newsand you need your doctor there
by your side walking you throughit.
(34:26):
A former AMA presidentaramccainy, md delegate from the
american society of clinicaloncology, was also opposed to
the amendments and said many ofher patients are experiencing
what she called scansiety, whichI can.
I mean totally great word.
Um, the, it makes sense.
(34:46):
Um, the radiologist has seenthose cysts in the liver for
many years, but writes in thenote they can't rule out
metastatic disease.
It's the whole what we callthis.
This isn't the quote, but mesaying is what we call the CYA
clause you know, cover your assand the patient cries all night
because they think their life isover.
She said what we're asking isto look at the unintended
(35:08):
consequences of thiswell-intended rule, to get
patients their information andallow physicians to be there and
hold their hand when they'regiving bad news or reassure
patients that they're having anabnormal test, but it doesn't
mean the end of their lives.
Other things that were coveredin this meeting Well, we won't
go into all of them.
There were more than 30resolutions and reports but what
(35:31):
I found interesting in our truecrimey realm, federal
regulations governing how bodyparts from cadavers may be used
was discussed.
Current laws cover only bodyparts used for transplants.
Did you know that?
Did you know that?
(35:54):
So yeah, so if you donate yourorgans, there's only regulation
around stuff that's used fortransplants.
The rest of the stuff is up forgrabs.
So in recent years, reports haveemerged about how body brokers
profitable sale of other humantissue to entities that misused,
abused or defiled theiracquisitions from 1,638 people,
such as when more than 20 bodieswere used in US Army blast
(36:16):
experiments without next-of-kinconsent.
So they just took these lovelysouls who donated their bodies
to science and used them forblast experiments.
It's so disrespectful.
Laser surgery on the eye.
(36:59):
I don't know if you knew this,I didn't.
I mean so audiologists areclinical doctorates, as are
optometrists, but nine statesallow optometry laser surgery,
even though the optometristtraining for laser use consists
of a 16 hour didactic coursewith no training on live
patients.
No, I did not know that I mean,would you?
Speaker 1 (37:15):
also Nope.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
No thanks.
Yeah, I'm all for, you know,operating at the top of your
licensure, but not without theproper training or at least a
little internship, something alive eyeball, can we?
Speaker 1 (37:31):
get some cadaver eyeballs in here to practice.
I mean, they won't be able totell you like is it better with
one?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
or two.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Yeah, I can see but at least you can yeah right,
that's so creepy.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
I didn't know that Ravi Goel, md, representing the
American Academy ofOphthalmology, said that the
current AMA language allowsoptometrists to perform eye
surgery using lasers.
If a physician supervises,which he says doesn't protect
patient safety, and that folks,you heard it here scientific
(38:19):
language, the verb lazed.
That made me so happy.
Thank you for that.
All right, so we went back tothe case um brian, remember he'd
moved to tucson.
He quickly became indispensable.
He loved, he was great withanxious parents.
He used to wear colorful hatsto set kids' mind at ease.
Um, and he would often becomewell, brad would often become
(38:39):
jealous and irritable becauseprobably jealous because Brian
was better working with families.
But Brian was also laid back.
He had a warm demeanor and Bradwas irritated that Brian would
often wear scrubs in the clinicinstead of the dress, shirt and
tie that Brad preferred.
Hello, who doesn't want to showup to pajamas at work?
(39:02):
Plus, you know kids, kids snottears, you know stuff.
Know kids, kids snot tears, youknow stuff.
Right, I mean, there's theoccasional poopy diaper and
vomit.
I mean what happens?
All right, well, brad was stillstruggling with his addiction
(39:23):
to Vicodin.
He convinced Lourdes to helphim out and she would sometimes
have Vicodin prescriptions onhand to treat her migraines.
He also had his office manager,lori Espinoza, help him out by
allowing him to prescribe herrelatives Ritalin.
Oh, brad, he wasn't smart aboutit, though.
I mean, yeah, he got caught Forsomeone who went to Havid.
(39:45):
He got caught, havid.
He got caught when he called torefill one of lord's
prescriptions.
He's like I'm just refillingthis for my patient.
And then they asked for id andhe refused to show it.
So the pharmacist reported himto the dea.
When the dea arranged aninterview with lordis to try to
(40:07):
get to the bottom of the matter,she lied and denied ever having
Vicodin prescribed for her byBrian.
That's not clever, lourdes.
I know Love does crazy things.
The DEA then raided Brian'soffice in December of 2001, and
Brian was there seeing patientsand the DEA demanded that all
activities stop until theysearched the premises.
(40:28):
This was Brian's firstknowledge that Brad had a
problem.
I mean, imagine you've got anew job, you've been there a
month, clinics full of patientsthey would see 26 to 60 patients
a day.
Can you imagine?
No thanks, but I mean theseguys were busy.
So all of a sudden your officeis being raided.
(40:49):
Brian confided to apediatrician friend of his at
the time.
The raid scared the hell out ofme, quote.
I mean, I haven't been herethat long and these guys come in
grabbing everything, taking allthe charts, disrupting the
patients and the staff.
What the hell is going on here?
Sometimes I think it's notworth it.
I should just go back to Texas,end quote.
Oh, if only he hadforeshadowing Right.
(41:12):
His friend urged him not togive up.
Tucson needed a promisingpediatric surgeon.
This set the seed for Brian toexplore thoughts of setting up
his own practice.
His friend helped him find asuitable space, a nearby vacant
office in a medical complex.
On August 2nd 2002, lourdesresigned as deputy county
(41:34):
attorney.
On September 26th 2002, she wasindicted in federal court on
four counts of helping Bradobtain illegal prescriptions.
Lori was indicted on 36 counts.
That poor office, I mean, shewas just like a scheduler
assistant.
That poor office, I mean, shewas just like a scheduler
assistant.
And Brad was indicted on 77counts.
(41:55):
On October 12th 2002, bradvoluntarily checked into a 30
day inpatient treatment program.
He met Dr Mark Oustein, whospecialized in addiction
medicine.
The two became friends and DrOsteen lent Brad $40,000 to get
back on his feet.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
Casual.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
You know, they say psychopaths are very charismatic
.
I mean, I'm just saying I'm nota psychologist, but obviously
he must have some kind of swaywith people.
So he talked this guy who wassupposed to be treating him into
$40,000.
And then in January 2004, heloaned Brad another 20,000
(42:42):
because Brad said he needed itbecause he was divorcing Joan.
He put up his office building.
Brad did as collateral and whenhe left the inpatient treatment
program he went to a 90-dayprogram at Rush University
Behavioral Health Treatmentprogram for doctors with
addictions.
I mean, they have a wholeprogram for doctors with
addictions.
(43:04):
I mean it's great that they haveit, but it's sad that they need
it.
Yeah, he told his office staffthe reason he'd be going away
for so long is that he had abrain tumor and he needed
surgery in florida.
What an ass.
I mean, who lies about cancer?
That's so gross.
Uh, during that time, brad'sdad, henry, went to the office
to collect brad's mail and hediscovered brian been handing
out business cards to patientsfor his new private practice.
(43:27):
Which awkward.
So, yeah, that was cheeky.
Uh, so Henry broke the news toBrad, of course, and, um, henry
and his wife, brad's parents,urged Brad to fire Brian.
Brian was summarily escortedout of the office the very next
day and he was protesting,saying but there's still
(43:49):
patients in the lobby and theywere like we don't care, they
care about it.
So, uh, goodbye.
So when Brad gets out of rehaband returns to Tucson on
Valentine's day, 2003, herealizes that Brian has started
a private practice with many ofBrad's patients and some of his
staff.
He was furious.
He also had the fallout fromthe DEA investigation and the
(44:11):
charges against him to contendwith.
In June of 2003, he and Lourdesfell out while he was driving
and he tried to push her out ofhis moving vehicle, resulting in
prepare to get mad, both ofthem being charged with
misdemeanor domestic violencecharges.
How the hell is that fair?
I mean, I wasn't there, butit's crazy.
(44:36):
After that, brad continued tocontact her and manipulate her
into thinking that this wasnormal, he loved her.
Oh, it just happens, you know,and they should put the incident
behind them.
A judge placed a restrainingorder between the two, thank
goodness, and Brad's defenseattorney suggested Brad write a
letter detailing the events toexplain his side of things.
(44:58):
Oh, because we're worried aboutBrad's side of things.
I mean, obviously it's not hisfault.
He pushed his girlfriend out ofa moving vehicle.
So this is what he wrote onJune 26th 2003.
This is all him.
Here's a partial list of theadverse consequences of my crime
.
This is not him, but noticelike, how he's like deflecting.
(45:23):
This isn't him.
It's what happened to him Cause, let's not forget, brad's the
victim here.
All right to brad.
Indictment on october 8, 2003brought crime to public
attention.
Not his crime, just crime.
I had not used any medicationillegally in over a year before
indictment, as documented byclean urine tests.
(45:43):
Next bullet I was immediatelyand summarily suspended by every
hospital in Tucson withoutinvestigation, I was dropped by
almost every health care plan inArizona.
I was ordered by the board togo for an inpatient stay for
substance abuse problems.
First I was sent to Cottonwoodto Tucson for one month,
followed by a three-month stayat Rush University Behavioral
(46:05):
Health Professionals Program.
Even though no substance abuseissue with current yeah, he's a
liar, he just just continueslike yeah, I mean dude.
My former business associate, drStidham, started his own
(46:26):
practice while I washospitalized and took four of my
full-time employees with him.
He has bad-mouthed me to thephysician community while he
openly advertised the grandopening of his practice and
placed his business cards andannouncements.
While I was in Chicago at Rush,dr Stidham plotted with Lori
Espinoza to get him credentialedon all healthcare plans behind
(46:48):
my back while I was hospitalized, she gave him all my forms that
I designed and utilized in myoffice and have copyrighted.
That makes me giggle, because,yeah, I mean, they're not his
forms.
They come from the insurancecompanies and you have to fill
them out.
They're not his.
I mean yeah, okay, it wascheeky if he was using Brad's
(47:10):
staff.
Yeah, no, that's not good, loriEspinoza, again, this is Brad's
take.
Lori Espinoza embezzled over$10,000 from my office while I
was hospitalized and iscurrently being investigated by
the Tucson Police DepartmentFraud Unit.
(47:31):
I couldn't find where that camefrom, so I don't know if that's
true or not.
My patient population, whichtotaled over 15,000 patients, is
now dissipated.
They have gone for care toother doctors or competitors.
What the hell do you thinkthey're going to do when you're
gone for four effing months?
Right, I mean, I'm sorry.
(47:56):
Not only that, you lied andsaid you have brain cancer.
They're probably thinking well,I don't want a dude with half a
brain to like come in, right?
Or also, if you had to havebrain removed, I don't know that
.
I kind of want you on my, yourtiny little surgical instruments
in my eyeball.
Yes, right, okay, back to brad.
(48:22):
I'm already irritated.
We've got a few more of these.
Yeah, uh, I have paid over 170000 in legal expenses, health
care costs related to myinpatient stays and rehab.
Well, right, welcome to theworld of health, which you are a
part of perpetuating.
Okay, so my monthly incomeprior to my indictment was over
(48:45):
a hundred thousand dollarsmonthly.
A hundred thousand dollarsmonthly.
But it's so sad because he goeson to say because I have not
worked since October 8, 2002,I've lost over $900,000 in pay
(49:11):
and keep in mind I had legal andhealth care costs.
Thank God, still there's noacknowledgement that he has any
of the culpability here.
So anyway, he goes on.
I have gone through a painfuldivorce.
I have three small children whowere kept from seeing me for
the four months I was in rehab.
They weren't kept from seeingyou, dude, you were, you were in
(49:33):
treatment.
You did this to yourself.
I have to stop shouting at him.
I'll just keep reading hisstuff.
Okay, I've.
I've suffered shame, humiliationand, essentially,
excommunication from the medicalcommunity in Tucson.
My career in Tucson is likelydone.
I will have to relocate toanother city If I am to practice
(49:55):
.
This will be impossible to dobecause it will require getting
licensed in another state.
I have suffered a yeah, right,I've suffered.
Right, god forbid needs to getcredentialed again.
I've suffered a careerthreatening injury that resulted
in herniation of another discin my neck and has left me with
(50:16):
potentially permanent numbnessin my left hand.
Okay, I said I wasn't going tosay anything, but like, let's
think about that.
So here we are, a surgeon who'sessentially performing like
microsurgery.
Um, are we not worried that hehas permanent numbness in his
left hand.
I know we're supposed to feelbad about it, but, like, should
(50:37):
you be looking at going back tobeing a surgeon?
Maybe that's a bigger deal, Idon't know.
Do you disclose that to yourpatients?
I'm going to do your surgerywith one hand, right?
I don't know.
He says, yeah, I want to keepmy patients safe.
(51:03):
Um, I'm close to filingbankruptcy and I have over a
hundred thousand dollars incredit card debt.
Oh, who used those credit cards, bradley?
Was it perhaps you?
Sorry?
Um, I promised I would getthrough this list.
We're almost there.
I've suffered the guilt ofknowing that I involve friends
and loved ones in my crime.
That has impacted negativelyupon them as well.
(51:27):
Ooh, it might be a hint of anapology there, but not really.
I have previously had 10full-time employees who have
since had to seek work elsewhere.
My practice provided income fortheir respective families and
loved ones.
This is also a small part ofthe guilt I bear.
Yeah, but four of those peopleare getting paid by Bri guy.
(51:48):
So you're okay, dude.
Uh, oh, and then he says theinability to work at the job
that I love more than anything.
And lastly, two frivolouslawsuits have been filed against
me immediately after theindictment in cases that did not
involve any medical wrongdoing.
The plaintiff's attorneys hopeto capitalize on my negative
public image and reachsettlement.
(52:09):
Yeah well, you put yourself inthe spotlight with your behavior
.
Also, there's that numb hand,okay.
So in October the medical boardreleased its findings, noting
that Brad's conduct would haveharmed patients who trusted him,
they ordered five years ofprobation.
While on probation, brad wasordered to submit a statement
(52:30):
under oath four times a yearthat he's complying with its
orders, including a year tocomplete the board's physician
assessment and clinicaleducation program in narcotics
and medical records.
He was banned from prescribingor storing strong meds and had
to enroll in the monitoredaftercare program for physicians
impaired by alcohol or drug use.
I mean again the fact thatthat's a program geez.
(52:52):
In addition, he had to attendgroup therapy once a week,
attend 90 12-step meetings in 90days and then a minimum of
three 12-step self-help groupmeetings a week, as recommended
by his group therapist.
He could then apply formedicine prescription after a
year.
He wasn't allowed to drinkalcohol, eat anything with poppy
seeds which was funny andsubmit to regular urine drug
(53:17):
testing.
That's a lot.
Brad pleaded guilty to 74 of the77 charges against him.
The judge decided to delaysentencing.
I know, right, you're going toquibble about the three.
I know, dude, let's round it upand make it 80.
I don't know.
The judge decided to delaysentencing for a year.
(53:37):
Lourdes and Lori got similardeals.
The charges would be dismissedif all three defendants stayed
out of trouble for a year.
Brad was ordered to pay a$7,500 fine, surrender his DEA
registration to prescribe drugs,comply with all the conditions
imposed by the Arizona MedicalBoard and give the government
$40,000 for court costs.
(53:59):
Well, I mean, remember this guywas making.
What did he say?
A hundred thousand a month,anyway, yeah, no, that would be
devastating, but we alsowouldn't behave this way.
So, okay, word of warning.
There are so many womeninvolved with this womanizing
piece of crap that I had to makehighlights.
(54:19):
So there's a list.
I'm just going to list the onesthat appear in multiple,
multiple times throughout theresearch that I did.
There's literally dozens ofwomen, but we've got a top nine
list going here Ready, so we're.
We've already heard aboutLourdes, uh, solomon Lopez.
Lourdes was married to herhusband, danny, and had two
(54:41):
children.
They divorced in 1995.
She started her career as alawyer from 97 to 99, and then
became a prosecutor with thePima County Attorney's Office in
2000.
In January of 2003, she becameengaged to Brad.
Apparently, brad paid herex-husband Danny meanwhile to
kill Brad, but Danny died in agun battle with cops in March of
(55:03):
2003 before he was able tofulfill the deal.
It was apparently some drugdeal gone bad, can you, I mean,
let that sink in.
Okay, brad and Lourdes moved intogether in April of 2004, but
Brad left after two days ofliving together.
So that went well.
(55:28):
And then, to make matters moreexciting, in May of 2004, he
stole Lourdes' car.
He just showed up in herdriveway with a spare set of
keys and drove it off.
Um, what a dude, what a stellarguy.
All right, next lady, ate,aisha, henry.
Aisha met brad in rehab and raninto him.
(55:49):
Later on he told her he lovedher.
He tried to get her to file asexual assault claim on brian to
get even with him.
She refused and in 2004 bradasked aisha if she would get her
husband to hurt brian for 3 000.
And in 2004, brad asked Aishaif she would get her husband to
hurt Brian for $3,000.
Yes, you heard that right.
She was married the whole timeand he wanted to pay $3,000 just
to kind of incapacitate him alittle.
(56:10):
Maybe quote unquote throw acidin his eyes, yeah.
Next lady Liliana Bibb.
Liliana was apparently Lourdes'cousin.
So great, um, how did I mean?
What are the odds?
Because they met on matchcom,brad proposed to her after two
weeks of dating.
Um, what I like about Lilianais, uh, she found out that he
(56:34):
was cheating on her, so sheborrowed $2,000 from him and
ghosted him.
He never got the money back.
So that's one for the ladies.
Next lady Stephanie Nagel.
Stephanie met Brad at thecourthouse where they were both
in attendance for their ownpersonal crimes.
She had some fraud or badchecks or something she was
(56:56):
dealing with.
Brad pestered her to date himand then asked her if she knew
any hit men.
You know, as you do.
Oh, you're so hot.
No, no, no, what's yourfavorite color?
Do you know any hit men?
Um, and she asked why he wasasking her that.
And he's like well, you've beenin jail, so I figured he'd know
such a person.
So Stephanie also wised up andmanaged to ghost him eventually.
(57:21):
Now we get to Carmen Fernandez.
Carmen was a phlebotomist and acollege student studying
criminal justice.
She was separated from herhusband and had one child.
She met Brad because he wouldcome in weekly for his urine tox
screenings and try to hit onher.
Eventually, one of herco-workers said you should go
out with that guy, he's cute,guess what.
(57:41):
Brad asked her if she knew ahitman.
That didn't seem to deter hervery much, though, because she
became pregnant with his childin the summer of 2004.
So, reminiscent of the moneythat disappeared with Liliana,
brad gave her $2,000 and hedisappeared.
Nice Rachel Atkinson is next.
(58:12):
She met Brad in 2004 when shetook her infant son to see him
and Brad removed a tumor frombehind the child's left eye.
She messaged him about herson's recovery and he eventually
asked her out.
I mean, as you do, rachel wasrecovering from a broken
engagement, so they startedsleeping together several times
a week.
Next lady for a shave KristenPeterson.
She met Brad by answering apersonal ad of Brian's on an
(58:35):
online dating site.
She helped him move out of hishome with Lourdes after those
famous two days that theymanaged to live together.
He knew about his other women.
Oh God, this woman is batshit.
Oh yeah, I couldn't even mybrain couldn't do the math to
see how much overlap was goingon.
I mean, there were handfuls ata time, but Kristen is probably
(59:02):
the most cray cray out of thegroup.
Um, she knew what was going onwith all these extra women.
But she said quote, damn it,bradley, I love you.
You've literally had my heartfrom day one.
There's just something aboutyou.
Even knowing that you had 10girlfriends at once, including
me, I still somehow thought itwas me that you loved the most.
Period end quote.
I know, kristen, get sometherapy, honey, you deserve
(59:25):
better.
Yeah, you deserve better.
Oh god, we're not even at nineyet.
Okay, lisa goldberg, lisa andbrad met on matchcom.
They went on a date on this.
Uh, for sure, for sure, forsure.
On the.
The second date, bradley toldher he loved her.
She told him she wasn't thereyet, you know.
(59:48):
Second date yeah, but on thethird date he took her shopping
for an engagement ring.
The guy just doesn't know howto slow it down.
Um, so Lisa shared that Bradtalked about a deep seated
resentment towards Brian andthat Brian had taken all his
(01:00:08):
patients away and ruined hislife.
I want him dead, he told her onenight.
That's a terrible thing to say.
She told him well, it's aterrible thing he did to me.
He shouted I'm telling you, Iwant that man killed.
That's ridiculous.
She said you don't mean it andyou know it.
He ruined my life, lisa.
Brad said he's gonna die.
All right, let's go on to.
(01:00:30):
Yeah, here's something.
Please say something tosomebody.
Somebody, uh, I mean not tothis extent, holy cow.
Okay.
So Rosalia.
Rosalia Humo was a friend ofLourdes who needed a job.
(01:00:51):
Lourdes referred to her orsorry, lourdes referred her to
Brad's office state, statingthat Brad was starting up his
practice again and he might needan assistant.
Rosalia agreed to meet withBrad and a smart girl took her
friend Margaret along.
Brad told her I've got thishuge, huge problem and I need
someone to help me get rid ofthis problem.
Do you remember that doctor?
(01:01:12):
I was working with Dr Stidham.
He's the problem, brad said.
He practically ruined my life.
It's been hell just gettingback to where I am.
Do you think you could help me?
Like, do what she asked?
Well, I was thinking that ifsomeone planted pornography in
his office because he's apediatric ophthalmologist, it
would land him in real hot water.
Lord just told me, somethinglike that could ruin someone for
(01:01:34):
life.
And if it would get out intothe community, into the papers
that this children's eye surgeonwas caught with porn in his
office.
It would humiliate him just theway I was humiliated when he
turned me over in the drug thingperiod, end quote.
How would you right?
Um and rosalia had nothing todo with it.
But our sorry, uh, brian hadnothing to do with it, neither
(01:01:57):
did versalia.
But um, so rosalia goes on.
How would you do it?
She asked well, brad said Icould take a picture of my son
naked and then we could plant itin brian's office and then call
the cops.
I think I said.
Brian said but it was brad,this is brad.
Can you imagine talking aboutyour own child and then take a
(01:02:21):
naked picture of them and put itout there to frame someone?
The hell is wrong with this guy.
He goes, rosalia, maybe youcould put it there or you could
get someone else to do itObviously I can't be the one to
do it because you have standards, dude and then maybe we could
plant some illegal drugs in hisoffice.
Maybe you know where we couldget some drugs and we could put
(01:02:44):
them there too.
Yeah, she said, why are you somad at him to do that?
He stole my patients, brad said.
When I was in rehab.
I lost half my patients andhalf my staff to Brian.
You know I pulled him out ofLongview, texas, to come here.
I paid 120k to relocate him.
All I asked for was a littleloyalty and at the first sign of
(01:03:07):
trouble he splits and takeshalf of everything with him.
He doesn't know how much harm Ican cause him.
I know where he works.
He has an office at First andRiver, this little complex where
it's dark when he gets off lateat night.
Do you think he could findsomebody, like one of your gang
members, to kill him?
What Rosalia said shocked.
I want him fucking dead.
(01:03:27):
Brad said Can he find someone?
I need someone.
I can make it look like acarjacking.
You know he drives a whiteLexus and he always parks it in
the same place.
He leaves late at night.
I mean it would be nothing forsomeone to knock him off and
take the car.
The cops would think it's justanother random killing.
I'm sure you know people who dothis sort of thing.
I'd pay him too, half up front,half after.
Do you think you can help me,rosalia, I can see about that.
(01:03:52):
She said, unsure if he wasserious.
She thought the sooner sheagreed with him, the sooner she
could leave and hope to neversee him again.
There are so many things rightnow that I want to say, but
maybe I mean we can maybe bottleit up and to the end, but take
a deep breath.
Okay, so this wasn't the onlytime brad said stuff like this.
(01:04:15):
There were multiple occasionswhere his womanizing or
connections with people resultedin him somehow manipulating the
conversation.
In instances where his lover oracquaint connections with
people resulted in him somehowmanipulating the conversation.
In instances where his lover oracquaintance could potentially
exact revenge against brian'sdid him and nobody took him
seriously.
Enter bruce bigger.
Speaker 1 (01:04:33):
And this, dear listeners, is where we'll pick
up the rest of the story nextweek wow, what a great place to
stop, because none of us arewondering I, I, my jaw is still
down here.
Let me pick it up quick aboutum brad.
Obviously, casing out brian athis new place of work knows well
(01:04:54):
.
I suppose he would have knownwhat he drove from working
together before.
But you know where you parkyour car, well, brown, that time
he gets off work it's nice anddark.
So I'm just like did brad do it, or god it's?
Speaker 2 (01:05:06):
so stalkery somebody go do this oh my goodness, we'll
have to stay tuned yeah, right,I, I'm like why are you
assuming I know people like thiswell, really all the women.
What, what?
(01:05:27):
Yeah, well, and, and I feellike, cause he's a he's a
flaming racist, I think.
Because she was Mexican, heassumed okay, you're a gang
member who, uh, obviously canget ahold of drugs and hit men.
I mean, he's such a piece ofgarbage.
I just really hate this guy.
Speaker 1 (01:05:42):
Okay, well, um, fascinating so far, thank you.
I can't wait to find out whathappens with him.
Um, I hope he's either.
I'm not going to say cause thisis everyone's first time
meeting me, so I'm not gonna sayum, thank, you.
Speaker 2 (01:06:06):
So next week we are going to cover part two of sins,
of the stuff scope, where wewill meet suspects, discuss the
trial, the verdict and thecurrent status of the alleged
killer or killers so don't missit.
Speaker 1 (01:06:21):
Subscribe and follow doctoring the truth wherever you
enjoy your podcasts for storiesthat shock, intrigue and
educate.
Trust, After all, is a delicatething.
You can also leave us comments,questions or compliments on our
website at doctoring the truthDot buzzsproutcom.
Goodbye.
Okay, I need my mouse , Don't worry, I'll cut it out.
Oh, hello, hello.
Welcome to Doctoring the Truth,the podcast where we pull back
the curtain on true crime inhealthcare.
I'm your host, Jenna Tunnell,and with me is my delightful
(00:30):
co-host, amanda House.
We are two doctors of audiologyhere to bring you Inside Real
Life Cases where once trustedhealthcare providers veered off
the ethical path into criminalterritory.
Hey, amanda, welcome to ourfirst podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
How excited are you Um a ball of nerves and
excitement.
I don't know why nerves?
Because no one can see us.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
No one can see us, it's just you and I.
Right, yeah, for now, I'mexcited.
Yeah, well, I am really excitedas well.
I think we should just diveright into it.
Um, today's episode's titledthe Sins of the Stethoscope,
which is hard to say.
Well, I am really excited aswell.
I think we should just diveright into it.
Today's episode's titled theSins of the Stethoscope, which
is hard to say, and is part oneof a two-part series about the
(01:15):
murder of Dr Brian Stidham, apediatric ophthalmologist.
On the evening of October 5th2004, in Tucson, arizona,
37-year-old Brian Stidham, awell-known pediatric
ophthalmologist, was found deadin the parking lot of the North
First Medical Plaza where he ranhis private practice.
He'd been stabbed 15 to 17times and suffered a skull
(01:38):
fracture.
Police discovered his wallet onhim, which still contained cash
, so it didn't seem like it wasa robbery.
This was a crime of anotherkind.
Was it revenge?
Was it a chance encounter witha murderer on the loose?
Stay tuned, listeners, to findout the resources that I used to
research.
This episode included a booktitled Toxic Rage A Tale of
(02:01):
Murder in Tucson by journalistAJ Flick.
Rage A Tale of Murder in Tucsonby journalist AJ Flick an
episode of Forensic Files I mean, of course entitled Office
Visit, an episode oninvestigation discovery entitled
Killing Time, a 48-hour mysterydocumentary entitled An Eye for
an Eye and various articlesfrom the Tucson Citizen, which
(02:22):
is a newspaper at the time.
So the rest of the resourceswill be listed in our show notes
.
I should give a trigger warning, for those who need it We'll be
talking about murder and aviolent crime, so let's get into
it.
Let's do it.
At approximately 1020 on theevening of Octoberober 5th 2004
(02:46):
in tucson, arizona, a 911dispatcher contacted pima
sheriff's department to respondto reports of a man sprawled out
on the black top of an officecomplex parking lot.
The police arrived momentslater to find the man deceased
on the ground with 15 to 17 stabwounds and a skull fracture.
His wallet located on hisperson was cash still inside
(03:10):
identified him as Brian Stidham,age 37.
Dr Stidham wasa well-knownpediatric ophthalmology surgeon
who owned a private practice inthe North First Medical Plaza
where he was found.
Earlier that evening he'd givena lecture to medical students
in his office and police noted apartly eaten slice of pizza on
the ground beside him, which isa detail that just I hate that
(03:33):
oh my God, I know, it just hurtmy heart.
I can't imagine.
Brian's day started like manyothers.
He got up at 5 am.
He went to lift weights, whichactually was the first time
since in a while, because he hadheart surgery about a month ago
.
He left his house for theoffice at 7.20 in the morning
(03:54):
and he had a packed schedule ofpatients to see that day.
At 1 pm he called his wife,daphne, who said she wanted to
bring their children by to seehim at the office, since she
knew he had to stay late thatnight to give a lecture to his
medical students.
He later on called his wife onher cell at 545, but he sounded
rushed.
They talked about an upcominggala and what Daphne planned to
(04:17):
wear to it.
He hung up and said he had togo wait for the pizza that he'd
ordered while Daphne went tocook dinner for their two
children.
Christine Heller and her fiancéAnthony arrived in his pickup
truck around 10 pm that evening.
Christine worked as a massagetherapist and she'd accidentally
(04:37):
forgotten her engagement ringat the office because she would
typically take it off to givemassages.
I mean, who wants a ring?
Oh yeah, nobody wants that Inyour biz.
So she was worried aboutsomeone swiping it though,
because cleaning crew and otherpeople would come in during the
night Well sure.
So her fiancé agreed that hewould go with her because she
(04:59):
just felt creeped out aboutgoing back to the office at
night.
So he agreed to accompany herto retrieve it.
When they pulled into themedical complex parking lot they
saw a man in medical scrubssprawled out on the ground,
unmoving.
Anthony pulled his truck upnext to the guy, rolled down his
window and yelled hello, excuseme, sir, are you all right?
(05:21):
He got out of the truck andnoticed papers were just strewn
everywhere over the parking lot.
He asked him again if he wasokay, but there was no response.
Anthony then nudged him withhis foot no response.
He got back into the truck tomove the truck away from the
body.
Christine, he's not moving.
He said Is he drunk?
(05:41):
Christine asked.
Anthony said I know like what?
Seriously natural response, Iguess anthony.
I mean, do you come across thatmuch, right?
Um, anthony said.
Anthony said he didn't know.
But christine, who had basiclife support training, said they
should check for pulse and call9-1-1.
Good girl, christine, let's allgive her a clap out because
(06:02):
first thing we learned right inour annual BLS yeah, exactly,
but he didn't have a pulse andhe wasn't warm, but she said he
wasn't clammy or cold either.
So you know, that sayssomething about how long the
body had actually been there.
But let's talk about the victim, david Brian Stidham.
He was born on August 13th 1967in longview, texas, to parents
(06:27):
mac and joyce.
Stidham brian was apparentlynamed after his uncle david, but
everyone just called him brian.
I mean, what's the point ofthat?
Um, brian's uncle david was aphysician and so was his
grandfather smarty pants family.
Yeah I know right.
I couldn't find muchinformation about his early
childhood, but I did find aninterview with a close friend of
(06:49):
Brian's in the Tucson Citizennewspaper from May of 2007.
And his friend, dwayne Probst,talks about their experiences
together.
Dwayne and Brian met in theeighth grade.
They were both drummers atrival middle school bands.
Dwayne shared that Brian wasn'ta great musician but he worked
his tail off to be perfect andby our senior year he was all
(07:11):
state.
This is a quote from him.
I was the alternate secondchair.
I had to go sit in the audienceand watch him with his mom and
dad.
That just shows you know,perfectionism can take you
anywhere.
So the boys also had a closefriend named Joe Little.
According to Dwayne, they'dhang out, wash his truck, spend
(07:35):
time doing homework together andrun around town.
Long view.
Texas in the late 80s could berough, though.
Dwayne recalled there werefights all the time.
We grew up in that time wheresomebody would say I'm going to
kick your ass and you say andyou say, well, all right, where
do you want to do it?
Uh, but brian wasn't you and mea sandwich bike rack, meet me
at noon.
But brian wasn't the kind ofperson that would engage in that
(07:56):
.
So apparently the only troublethat brian ever got into with
the law was when he was caughtwith booze at the age of 20 in
Georgia.
I mean, come on, we can forgivehim.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
We've all been there.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, right.
His prosecution was deferredand during their freshman year,
all three kids set theirintentions for what they wanted
to be when they grew up.
Brian said he was going to be adoctor, joe was going to be a
lawyer and Dwayne a doctor.
Joe was going to be a lawyerand Dwayne a musician.
And, according to Dwayne, allof these three dreams turned out
(08:33):
to be true.
Oh, I love that.
I love that for them.
Who?
Speaker 1 (08:34):
does that?
I had no clue what I was goingto be.
I mean, I didn't know what.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
I was going to be till.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I met you.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Yeah, till I made you , I was like you need to do this
, amanda, all right.
So after graduating high schoolin 1985, brian moved to
Nashville with Twain andattended Vanderbilt University.
I mean, he was obviously veryintelligent and driven because
he then attended Harvard MedicalSchool, I know.
(09:02):
So he attended Harvard in 1990and he graduated in 1993.
I mean, it's a four-yearprogram.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I'm just saying the guy's smart, very smart.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So I looked at the requirements to become a board
certified pediatricophthalmologist and according to
the American board ofophthalmology it's four years of
undergrad, four years ofmedical school, one year
clinical internship with ninemonths of that uh, with a broad
experience in direct patientcare across different
specialties, and then threemonths of experience in
(09:35):
ophthalmology and then afterthat it's residency training for
at least three years, but itcan take up to seven years of
residency to complete the boardcertification requirements.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Oh, my OMG.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Oh my gosh.
I'm like are you tired?
I am just tired thinking aboutit.
So he, stidham, attendedresidency at the University of
Texas Southwestern MedicalSchool's Internal Medicine
Department for a year, but thenhe switched to ophthalmology
medicine department for a year,but then he switched to
ophthalmology.
Dwayne said that Brian had toldhim that the reason that he
(10:09):
switched to ophthalmology frominternal med was because he
didn't want the phone to beringing in the middle of the
night, you know.
And he really liked workingwith kids.
But our little friend Brianwasn't all about the books.
He began dating his neighbor,daphne Herding, soon after he
arrived in Dallas.
Daphne, daphne the two wouldrun, they would go running
(10:32):
together.
They'd spend their eveningstalking and drinking sake.
I hope they had some sushi withthe sake.
I'm sure they did.
Yeah, I couldn't find anyevidence of that, but let's hope
.
Dwayne noted that Daphne wasgorgeous and that he could tell
they were a good couple becauseit seemed like they could read
each other's minds Cute.
He stated that's so cute, right, I want that for?
(10:54):
Do you have that?
I want that for everybody.
Oh, warm fuzzies.
He stated that Brian wasactually engaged to another girl
at one point Scandal.
But Brian's friends didn't likethat girl and Brian called off
the wedding two weeks before thewedding day.
(11:14):
Yikes Dwayne said Daphne wasdifferent and a lot like Brian.
She said he was quiet, reserved.
Or she yeah, he said that shewas quiet reserved.
Or she yeah, he said that shewas quiet, reserved.
And a woman of few words quote.
She chooses her words carefully.
She just has a very sweet souland is just a dear end.
(11:34):
Quote.
Daphne later described Brian assincere and approachable, with
a big heart.
She said he was easy to talk toand he made me feel so good
inside and I felt safe with him.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
That's sweet.
I'm just like still thinkingyou were engaged before too,
Plus all this medical school.
Like you were busy, I mean busyboy, right that's a lot to be
juggling Right.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Good multitasker, yeah Well, the two eventually
married in a garden ceremony atthe Crescent Hotel in Dallas on
May 31st 1997, with Dwayne asthe best man, of course.
Dwayne, I know, wait till youhear what the mother-in-law says
.
I mean, I don't have such alucky experience with this Okay.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I was like this is going to go either way.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
But his mother-in-law , jung Ja Herding, said I used
to tell him he had no flaws.
He was the perfect son-in-law,the perfect husband.
Aww End quote I love him.
Dwayne started a band withanother friend of his from
Longview, texas, named PorterHowell.
The name of the band was haveyou heard of it, little Texas?
(12:43):
Oh, no, well, a lot of peoplehave, because apparently they
play country music.
Surprise, I looked them up andthey're still going strong.
They've produced eight albumsand played thousands of shows
across the country.
They still tour and the band iscomprised of the original
members Porter Howell, who isthe lead guitarist and lead
(13:06):
vocals, dwayne O'Brien, who'srhythm guitar and vocals, and
Dwayne Probst, who does bass andvocals, and drummer Del Gray.
First of all, what are the oddsof two Dwaynes in one band?
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Of course it's a country band.
I know someone from Texas.
I'm going to ask her if sheknows about this.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
During its heyday, little texas ranked or racked up
12 top 20 singles, with seventop tens and three number ones.
They received multiple grammy,cma and acm nominations, winning
the american country music fortop vocal group of 1994.
So to date the band, the bandmembers, have continued to write
or, co-write, record and playevery single note on every
single they've released.
Okay, which is so impressive,but to me the most remarkable
(13:51):
thing about this band is theirhair.
So if you just pull up yourgoogle machine, have a peek at
those early 90 perms, oh my god,it's so fabulous, there is so
much hair.
So please do yourselves a favor.
Little Texas in the 90s Wow,okay, but back to Brian.
Brian and his bride spent theirhoneymoon in Hawaii and then
(14:14):
they moved to Indianapolis for afellowship that Brian had in
peds ophthalmology and adultstrabismus.
Strabismus is eye misalignment,so that would eventually become
his specialty.
The couple moved back to Texasa year later when Brian was
hired as a faculty member at theUniversity of Texas in Houston.
They then had two childrenAlexander Brian, spelt
(14:39):
A-L-E-X-A-N-D-R-E Brian in 2000,and Catherine Elizabeth in 2003
.
In 2001, brian saw anadvertisement in a medical
journal for a pedsophthalmologist position in a
private practice.
Brad Schwartz MD was looking tohand over his pediatric
(15:00):
patients to keep up with thedemands of his adult patients.
Brian got excited because heloved Tucson.
Daphne was quoted as sayinghe'd never seen anything like
the West the cacti, the vibrantsunrises and sunsets.
He fell in love with it andsaid honey, we've got to come
here, we've got to stay here.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
she said Gotta do it.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Gotta do it.
Dwayne, however, rememberstrying to warn Brian against
moving there and he said weirdthings happen there.
I swear there's an aura of evilto it.
I wish you would think aboutthis.
Uh, foreshadowing, yeah, Uh,gotta talk to Dwayne.
I mean wow, but Brian loved themountains.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
How did he know this Is the band touring at this time
?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
I don't know, Like maybe they just had a bad gig
Dang, just bad vibes there, Idon't know.
Brian just brushed it off.
He's like I love the mountains,I love hiking, and he's like
the partner that I'm going to beworking with is ultra cool.
He's giving me the keys to thekingdom.
It's going to be great.
(16:06):
I'm going to be doing exactlywhat I've always wanted to do.
Now, talking to anotherhealthcare professional that
prefers to work with kids, Imean I get it right.
Adults are grumpy.
They've got a lot to complainabout.
I mean kids, kids, you make adifference and they're grateful.
They don't know any better,right?
Yeah yeah, yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah, yep, that's.
That's actually why I only workwith kids.
Now I shouldn't say that's whyit's nice same, I mean it, it's.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
It's definitely a perk.
All right, so now we're gonnadiscuss a piece of toilet paper
stuck to the bottom of the shoethat's been dragged through
sewage and his name is bradleyschwartz.
Yeah, if you can tell, kind ofdon't like the dude sure and so
this is a guy who's taking thepediatric caseload from the
practice owner.
(16:53):
Yes, okay yeah, and his name isbradley schwartz.
So I'm gonna start with acomment from a parent of a
patient of bradley schwartz, whosaid that he told this family
quote there are only two who cansave your child god and me.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
And god's busy excuse me while I'm gagging narcissist
much omg.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
So yeah, we're dealing with a huge ego right
there.
Okay, bradley Problem was hewas actually a very good surgeon
, of course he was.
Other than his verbal ability tocheck his massive, overinflated
opinion of himself, he was bymany accounts great with
patients and their families.
(17:44):
So let's talk about Brad.
Bradley Allen Schwartz was bornon January 14, 1965, in
Brooklyn, new York.
Sorry to our Capricorn friends,he was born to parents Henry
and Lois Schwartz, and he grewup on Staten Island.
The Schwartzes were kosher Jewswho adhered to the strict
(18:07):
dietary rules of the Jewishfaith, so they had two sets of
dishes, cooking utensils, pansand silverware to keep the meat
and the dairy products separate.
Brad apparently carried thistradition on throughout his
adult life and he'd getextremely angry if anyone mixed
dishes around him.
He had quite a temper.
Apparently His father was ahigh school teacher and his wife
(18:29):
was, and his mom sorry, I don'tknow why I said his wife.
Bradley's father was a teacherand Bradley's mom was an
administrator at a largebrokerage firm.
They both felt strongly thatthey needed to put their
children through college, buttheir limited salaries made that
difficult.
Bradley's parents eventuallymoved to Florida to be near
their daughter, a nurse who hadtwo children of her own.
(18:52):
Bradley later said he had anormal childhood.
He didn't suffer abuse orneglect.
He didn't have head injuriesNone of the stuff we look for.
His family was law-abiding.
He played baseball, basketballand was in the Boy Scouts, and
he even became an Eagle Scout.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Whew All the activities.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Right.
Bradley attended public schooland then enrolled in a private
religious high school in NewJersey, new Joisey, from which
he graduated in 1983, and thenhe attended Stony Brook
University of New York atBinghamton, where he studied
history and math and thengraduated at the top of his
class in 1987.
He attended the University ofRochester School of Medicine in
(19:35):
New York and graduated there in1991.
And then, on May 3, 1991, hemarried Joan Samuels, who
graduated from the sameuniversity's Institute of Optics
.
They moved to Connecticut forBrad's internship in internal
med at Norwick hospital and thenafter that he attended attended
his residency at the medicalcollege of Virginia in Richmond,
where he was chief resident ofthe ophthalmology department.
(19:58):
The couple had two children,ariel in August 1992 and Raina
in June of 1995.
Love those names.
Brad's wife, joan, quit heroptical engineering career to
care for the children when Bradbegan his fellowship in
pediatric ophthalmology atWill's Eye Hospital in 1995 in
Philadelphia.
A year later, in July 1996, heaccepted a second fellowship in
(20:22):
neuro-ophthalmology at AlleghenyGeneral Hospital in Pittsburgh,
where he worked until themiddle of 1998.
While he was in residency, bradbegan suffering from immense
dental pain that resulted ineight root canal surgeries, two
extractions and surgery on hisjaw and sinuses and even
painkillers I know it soundsawful Painkillers couldn't even
(20:44):
take the pain away.
So he's in chronic, constantpain and you know we've seen
studies that show that.
You know, chronic pain changesbrain chemistry right, it
changes, it can change a person.
So I wonder if this might bekind of a precursor to what
happens later on.
Might be kind of a precursor towhat happens later on.
(21:08):
So Brad and Joan moved theirfamily to Arizona, where he
accepted a position in anophthalmology group based in
Phoenix for him to be able toopen up an office in Southern
Arizona.
He wanted to take Tucson bystorm, but instead he created a
massive one in his personal life.
So let's talk aboutcredentialing.
As you know, when a providertakes a job with a new company,
you have to submit a series ofapplications to each insurance
(21:30):
company to be able to seepatients and file reimbursement
claims.
This is a long and arduous andfrustrating process at best, but
Brad would have none of it.
He used to call up theadministrator in charge of
credentialing for this practice.
Her name was Carrie DeLorme andhe'd scream at her oh my God,
can you imagine?
Speaker 1 (21:48):
I know Like it's her fault, as if Carrie has anything
to do with like expediting theprocess.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I know right.
At one point she said he calledand left a vulgar message
cursing her out because amedical director from an
insurance company denied asurgical procedure for a patient
due to a lack of medicalnecessity.
On the voicemail, brad toldCarrie that he would kill him
because he was so angry.
Uh-huh.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yeah, not subtle, yeah, so Carrie reported the
phone call to her leadership,who lodged a harassment claim
against Brad on her behalf, andeventually Brad was let go.
He'd apparently ruffled enoughfeathers during that first year,
and this was the last straw.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Brad said he Goodbye.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, goodbye, you're done.
You're done.
Don't let the door hit youwhere the good Lord split you.
Brad said he didn't carebecause he'd open up his new
practice and he wanted to callit Arizona specialty eye care.
However, he had that peskylittle non-compete clause which
(22:55):
he chose to ignore.
So that resulted in the Phoenixophthalmology practice suing
him for breach of contract, buteventually, over time, both
sides settled.
Brad was pretty set up,resulted in the Phoenix
ophthalmology practice suing himfor breach of contract, but
eventually, over time, bothsides settled.
Brad was pretty set up, however,for referrals.
He was the only game in townthat worked with ENT and
neurosurgeons to removecraniofacial tumors, and he also
(23:17):
did pro bono work for patientswithout insurance, including a
group called Manos de Ayuda whowould volunteer monthly to see
patients across the border ofMexico.
Manos de Ayuda, who wouldvolunteer monthly to see
patients across the border ofMexico.
Manos de Ayuda means helpinghands.
Mothers of patients from Mexicowould gift him with hand-woven
tapestries and other items thathe would display in his office.
He also became the officialophthalmologist for the Arizona
(23:40):
State Schools for the Deaf andBlind, which speaks to us
personally Clap, clap, clap,sing that, clap, clap, clap,
sing that Clap, clap, clap andhe volunteered at the VA Go
Veterans.
He enrolled his son andvolunteered for the Cub Scouts.
He sounds like a stand-up guy,right?
Speaker 1 (23:55):
A wonderful competitor, right now he doesn't
sound too bad.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Other than calling him.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Carrie.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, I mean poor Carrie, but other than that's,
he's doing his community, um,his service for the community,
and he seems like he's doing hisjob.
Uh, what could go wrong?
He's a wonderful, compassionatesurgeon, uh, yeah, but he
continued to suffer from dentalpain.
He couldn't chew easily and helost a lot of weight.
(24:22):
He had many medicalappointments of his own that he
was supposed to attend, but, aswe know, it's not easy, when you
have your own practice, to getout for appointments that are
typically during business hours.
So he started to turn toillegal prescriptions of Vicodin
for the pain and Ritalin forhis ADHD.
(24:42):
He began experiencing sharppains in his right shoulder and
numbness in his fingers, which,as you can imagine, is
devastating for a surgeon.
So he ended up having to havespinal surgery.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Dang.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Meanwhile, joan and Brad had a third child, danielle
in 2000.
But Joan filed for divorce in2001 after she caught Brad and
another woman together.
Oops, yeah.
The woman he was cheating onJoan with was a local Pima
County attorney's officeprosecutor.
Her name was Lourdes SalomonLopez.
(25:17):
They met when Lourdes broughther foster daughter for Brad to
treat her esotropia crossed eyesin December of 2000.
The two started dating afterthey were talking on the phone
when Brad called to see how herdaughter was doing.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, I mean super nice for your surgeon.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Yeah, I got lots of time to call every single
patient.
Anyway, she got a call, so thatwas something, and she noted
that he was very curious abouther profession and about the law
.
She brushed it off as he wouldask me how I would try a case.
I guess we'd talk about thethings you do when people are
close.
I mean, people talk about theirprofessional lives and, quote
(25:59):
girl, get a clue.
No victim blaming, but like,seriously, what a character.
So meanwhile Brad's practice wasin high demand.
He had more patients than hecould handle.
He was making more than $2million a year and around this
time he treated a toddler whowas brought to see him for what
his parents thought was a lazyeye.
(26:19):
But Brad discovered a canceroustumor covering the boy's right
eye.
Brad helped remove the tumor,fit him with a prosthetic eye
and received a glowing write-upin the Tucson Citizen newspaper.
It was around this time Bradquit taking his painkillers and
he focused on growing hispractice.
He wanted to venture intoplastic surgery.
Given his recent success, hedecided he needed someone to
(26:41):
take over the peds so he couldfocus on adults.
So he placed that ad in a tradejournal for a pediatric
ophthalmologist, to which Brianresponded.
Brian was so excited about themove, stating the most beautiful
life, beautiful things in lifeare free, love, family and
nature, and quote oh, hang on.
(27:03):
Okay, now it's time for chartnotes.
We're going to take a littlesidebar here.
Welcome to our chart notesegment, where we learn
something about what's happeningin medicine and health care,
(27:24):
and I'm calling this littlechart note.
You'll put your eye out.
Um.
So members of the americanmedical association House of
Delegates called for the AMA todirect public attention to
horrifying but preventable eyeand other injuries in children
caused by toy water beads andtheir blasters recently by the
(27:45):
public.
These water bead gel blasterscan have devastating
consequences to vision, saidAaron Shriver, md, speaking as a
delegate from the AmericanSociety of Ophthalmic, plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery.
Shriver, who's at theUniversity of Iowa in Iowa City,
said one ophthalmology residentdiagnosed hyphoma or blood
(28:06):
inside the the eye caused by thetoys during four of his 20
calls.
Other injuries includerecurrent inflammation in the
eye, iritis and herpetickeratitis or herpes infection of
the cornea, she said.
Douglas Myers, md, chair ofotolaryngology section council,
said the beads can also beingested because they look like
(28:26):
candy.
They can be stuck in ear canalsand noses and have the capacity
to expand up to 1500 timestheir diameter.
You don't have to have ablaster to do injury.
He said oh my God, what are wedoing to our kids?
I mean, I kind of want to seeone, but not in an orifice.
(28:48):
Not in an orifice and not in myoffice.
The resolution urged the AMA touse its muscles to influence
federal reclassification of thebeads as hazardous, especially
for children, duh, and toencourage water bead sellers to
supply customers with eyeprotection and educational
materials on water bead dangersand educational materials on
water bead dangers.
(29:08):
They noted 8,159 emergency roomvisits in the nation due to
water beads between 2007 and2022.
46% of those were fromingestion, 37% of those were ear
canal insertion, 12% nasalinsertion and 9% eye injury.
(29:31):
I mean, have you seen any inyour clinic?
This is uh, yeah, oh, my gosh,yeah.
This is um, alarming.
(29:52):
At least it does remind me ofthe uh, the christmas movie, the
christmas story, yes, wherethat kid he just the whole movie
just wanted a bb gun and hismom kept going.
You'll put your eye out, um,anyway.
Uh, our medical community islargely unaware of these
pathways and therefore unable toform an informed opinion on
(30:14):
this matter, leading to asilence of positions, said Rupa
Naik MD, the author and chairelect of the AMA IMG governing
council, who spoke on its behalf.
So I'm not sure why they don'tunderstand what pathways these
things are getting through, butum sounds like people aren't
aware, aware um.
Many of the delegates expressconcerns that there needs to be
(30:35):
better alignment among statelegislative language to ensure
that legislation supports thedelivery of high quality medical
medical care in the us.
Blah, blah, blah yeah or we justlearned that water beads are
dangerous and maybe we just stopselling them, I don't know.
So in that same meeting theytalked about the immediate
(30:57):
access to records rule.
So apparently the discussionwas passionate and it centered
around how physicians oppose thenation's information blocking
rule, which allows patients tohave access to certain test
results and medical recordsbefore their physician has a
chance to review them.
Contrary opinions also aroseover discussion of a resolution
that would authorize the AMA toadvocate for a 36-hour embargo
(31:22):
on a provision in the federalinformation blocking rule which
requires patients to haveimmediate access to medical
information like test results,as soon as they're available,
even prior to the physician uhreviewing them.
The embargo would givephysicians time to review the
information and be prepared toinform the patient of the
interpretation and treatmentplan so they don't jump to
inappropriate conclusions orpanic reasonably, which they
(31:45):
absolutely do get uh, I meanchart message.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
You're gonna go google it if you don't know what
it means and we all know whatdr google says it's not good,
well and like also from theprovider's perspective is like
(32:11):
if a patient writes into youthat goes to a pool of people
who see it first and then theytry to triage and answer it on
their own.
So it's like you we might noteven see that.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Note for for how long extra worrying time right
that's true yeah, that's a goodpoint, right, just stress
everywhere so to kind of make itgo over better.
From what I can tell, the groupdid offer amendments to say
(32:42):
that the AMA would favorsituations in which patients
would have the option toauthorize an embargo or not, if,
if they wanted immediately, Imean okay.
So in other words, you could gono, I don't want to be able to
see my results for at least 36hours.
Who's gonna do that?
No one wants it right away.
Um, like fast food, we can't,we can't wait.
(33:04):
So I guess that was their wayof like trying to make it more
palatable to pass.
But electronic health recordsystems don't always have that
capacity to allow patients toselect whether they want the
information or not after thephysician reviewed it.
So this amendment would havethe AMA advocate for criteria
(33:25):
for IT developers to includethis option for patients in the
future.
So regulations prioritize anindividual's right to their
medical records.
Research indicates 96% ofpatients prefer receiving
results immediately online, evenwhen the test results are
abnormal.
But several speakers vehementlyopposed this.
(33:45):
Catherine Gutfeind Okay, friendof a gut, sorry, catherine.
Md, an alternate delegate fromCalifornia who spoke for herself
, said that the result has beendisruptive and scary when her
patients get information online.
I don't know how many emailsI've gotten about a urinalysis.
Oh my gosh, I have squamouscells in my urine.
(34:06):
And then they're looking at DrGoogle.
She says I've had patients seetheir cancer diagnosis before I
could get to it and that's atragedy.
I mean, that's something Ididn't even think about.
Yeah, so it's not just thatpeople are going to take results
and then like, blow them out ofproportion.
There could be some bad newsand you need your doctor there
by your side walking you throughit.
(34:26):
A former AMA presidentaramccainy, md delegate from the
american society of clinicaloncology, was also opposed to
the amendments and said many ofher patients are experiencing
what she called scansiety, whichI can.
I mean totally great word.
Um, the, it makes sense.
(34:46):
Um, the radiologist has seenthose cysts in the liver for
many years, but writes in thenote they can't rule out
metastatic disease.
It's the whole what we callthis.
This isn't the quote, but mesaying is what we call the CYA
clause you know, cover your assand the patient cries all night
because they think their life isover.
She said what we're asking isto look at the unintended
(35:08):
consequences of thiswell-intended rule, to get
patients their information andallow physicians to be there and
hold their hand when they'regiving bad news or reassure
patients that they're having anabnormal test, but it doesn't
mean the end of their lives.
Other things that were coveredin this meeting Well, we won't
go into all of them.
There were more than 30resolutions and reports but what
(35:31):
I found interesting in our truecrimey realm, federal
regulations governing how bodyparts from cadavers may be used
was discussed.
Current laws cover only bodyparts used for transplants.
Did you know that?
Did you know that?
(35:54):
So yeah, so if you donate yourorgans, there's only regulation
around stuff that's used fortransplants.
The rest of the stuff is up forgrabs.
So in recent years, reports haveemerged about how body brokers
profitable sale of other humantissue to entities that misused,
abused or defiled theiracquisitions from 1,638 people,
such as when more than 20 bodieswere used in US Army blast
(36:16):
experiments without next-of-kinconsent.
So they just took these lovelysouls who donated their bodies
to science and used them forblast experiments.
It's so disrespectful.
Laser surgery on the eye.
(36:59):
I don't know if you knew this,I didn't.
I mean so audiologists areclinical doctorates, as are
optometrists, but nine statesallow optometry laser surgery,
even though the optometristtraining for laser use consists
of a 16 hour didactic coursewith no training on live
patients.
No, I did not know that I mean,would you?
Speaker 1 (37:15):
also Nope.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
No thanks.
Yeah, I'm all for, you know,operating at the top of your
licensure, but not without theproper training or at least a
little internship, something alive eyeball, can we?
Speaker 1 (37:31):
get some cadaver eyeballs in here to practice.
I mean, they won't be able totell you like is it better with
one?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
or two.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Yeah, I can see but at least you can yeah right,
that's so creepy.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
I didn't know that Ravi Goel, md, representing the
American Academy ofOphthalmology, said that the
current AMA language allowsoptometrists to perform eye
surgery using lasers.
If a physician supervises,which he says doesn't protect
patient safety, and that folks,you heard it here scientific
(38:19):
language, the verb lazed.
That made me so happy.
Thank you for that.
All right, so we went back tothe case um brian, remember he'd
moved to tucson.
He quickly became indispensable.
He loved, he was great withanxious parents.
He used to wear colorful hatsto set kids' mind at ease.
Um, and he would often becomewell, brad would often become
(38:39):
jealous and irritable becauseprobably jealous because Brian
was better working with families.
But Brian was also laid back.
He had a warm demeanor and Bradwas irritated that Brian would
often wear scrubs in the clinicinstead of the dress, shirt and
tie that Brad preferred.
Hello, who doesn't want to showup to pajamas at work?
(39:02):
Plus, you know kids, kids snottears, you know stuff.
Know kids, kids snot tears, youknow stuff.
Right, I mean, there's theoccasional poopy diaper and
vomit.
I mean what happens?
All right, well, brad was stillstruggling with his addiction
(39:23):
to Vicodin.
He convinced Lourdes to helphim out and she would sometimes
have Vicodin prescriptions onhand to treat her migraines.
He also had his office manager,lori Espinoza, help him out by
allowing him to prescribe herrelatives Ritalin.
Oh, brad, he wasn't smart aboutit, though.
I mean, yeah, he got caught Forsomeone who went to Havid.
(39:45):
He got caught, havid.
He got caught when he called torefill one of lord's
prescriptions.
He's like I'm just refillingthis for my patient.
And then they asked for id andhe refused to show it.
So the pharmacist reported himto the dea.
When the dea arranged aninterview with lordis to try to
(40:07):
get to the bottom of the matter,she lied and denied ever having
Vicodin prescribed for her byBrian.
That's not clever, lourdes.
I know Love does crazy things.
The DEA then raided Brian'soffice in December of 2001, and
Brian was there seeing patientsand the DEA demanded that all
activities stop until theysearched the premises.
(40:28):
This was Brian's firstknowledge that Brad had a
problem.
I mean, imagine you've got anew job, you've been there a
month, clinics full of patientsthey would see 26 to 60 patients
a day.
Can you imagine?
No thanks, but I mean theseguys were busy.
So all of a sudden your officeis being raided.
(40:49):
Brian confided to apediatrician friend of his at
the time.
The raid scared the hell out ofme, quote.
I mean, I haven't been herethat long and these guys come in
grabbing everything, taking allthe charts, disrupting the
patients and the staff.
What the hell is going on here?
Sometimes I think it's notworth it.
I should just go back to Texas,end quote.
Oh, if only he hadforeshadowing Right.
(41:12):
His friend urged him not togive up.
Tucson needed a promisingpediatric surgeon.
This set the seed for Brian toexplore thoughts of setting up
his own practice.
His friend helped him find asuitable space, a nearby vacant
office in a medical complex.
On August 2nd 2002, lourdesresigned as deputy county
(41:34):
attorney.
On September 26th 2002, she wasindicted in federal court on
four counts of helping Bradobtain illegal prescriptions.
Lori was indicted on 36 counts.
That poor office, I mean, shewas just like a scheduler
assistant.
That poor office, I mean, shewas just like a scheduler
assistant.
And Brad was indicted on 77counts.
(41:55):
On October 12th 2002, bradvoluntarily checked into a 30
day inpatient treatment program.
He met Dr Mark Oustein, whospecialized in addiction
medicine.
The two became friends and DrOsteen lent Brad $40,000 to get
back on his feet.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
Casual.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
You know, they say psychopaths are very charismatic
.
I mean, I'm just saying I'm nota psychologist, but obviously
he must have some kind of swaywith people.
So he talked this guy who wassupposed to be treating him into
$40,000.
And then in January 2004, heloaned Brad another 20,000
(42:42):
because Brad said he needed itbecause he was divorcing Joan.
He put up his office building.
Brad did as collateral and whenhe left the inpatient treatment
program he went to a 90-dayprogram at Rush University
Behavioral Health Treatmentprogram for doctors with
addictions.
I mean, they have a wholeprogram for doctors with
addictions.
(43:04):
I mean it's great that they haveit, but it's sad that they need
it.
Yeah, he told his office staffthe reason he'd be going away
for so long is that he had abrain tumor and he needed
surgery in florida.
What an ass.
I mean, who lies about cancer?
That's so gross.
Uh, during that time, brad'sdad, henry, went to the office
to collect brad's mail and hediscovered brian been handing
out business cards to patientsfor his new private practice.
(43:27):
Which awkward.
So, yeah, that was cheeky.
Uh, so Henry broke the news toBrad, of course, and, um, henry
and his wife, brad's parents,urged Brad to fire Brian.
Brian was summarily escortedout of the office the very next
day and he was protesting,saying but there's still
(43:49):
patients in the lobby and theywere like we don't care, they
care about it.
So, uh, goodbye.
So when Brad gets out of rehaband returns to Tucson on
Valentine's day, 2003, herealizes that Brian has started
a private practice with many ofBrad's patients and some of his
staff.
He was furious.
He also had the fallout fromthe DEA investigation and the
(44:11):
charges against him to contendwith.
In June of 2003, he and Lourdesfell out while he was driving
and he tried to push her out ofhis moving vehicle, resulting in
prepare to get mad, both ofthem being charged with
misdemeanor domestic violencecharges.
How the hell is that fair?
I mean, I wasn't there, butit's crazy.
(44:36):
After that, brad continued tocontact her and manipulate her
into thinking that this wasnormal, he loved her.
Oh, it just happens, you know,and they should put the incident
behind them.
A judge placed a restrainingorder between the two, thank
goodness, and Brad's defenseattorney suggested Brad write a
letter detailing the events toexplain his side of things.
(44:58):
Oh, because we're worried aboutBrad's side of things.
I mean, obviously it's not hisfault.
He pushed his girlfriend out ofa moving vehicle.
So this is what he wrote onJune 26th 2003.
This is all him.
Here's a partial list of theadverse consequences of my crime
.
This is not him, but noticelike, how he's like deflecting.
(45:23):
This isn't him.
It's what happened to him Cause, let's not forget, brad's the
victim here.
All right to brad.
Indictment on october 8, 2003brought crime to public
attention.
Not his crime, just crime.
I had not used any medicationillegally in over a year before
indictment, as documented byclean urine tests.
(45:43):
Next bullet I was immediatelyand summarily suspended by every
hospital in Tucson withoutinvestigation, I was dropped by
almost every health care plan inArizona.
I was ordered by the board togo for an inpatient stay for
substance abuse problems.
First I was sent to Cottonwoodto Tucson for one month,
followed by a three-month stayat Rush University Behavioral
(46:05):
Health Professionals Program.
Even though no substance abuseissue with current yeah, he's a
liar, he just just continueslike yeah, I mean dude.
My former business associate, drStidham, started his own
(46:26):
practice while I washospitalized and took four of my
full-time employees with him.
He has bad-mouthed me to thephysician community while he
openly advertised the grandopening of his practice and
placed his business cards andannouncements.
While I was in Chicago at Rush,dr Stidham plotted with Lori
Espinoza to get him credentialedon all healthcare plans behind
(46:48):
my back while I was hospitalized, she gave him all my forms that
I designed and utilized in myoffice and have copyrighted.
That makes me giggle, because,yeah, I mean, they're not his
forms.
They come from the insurancecompanies and you have to fill
them out.
They're not his.
I mean yeah, okay, it wascheeky if he was using Brad's
(47:10):
staff.
Yeah, no, that's not good, loriEspinoza, again, this is Brad's
take.
Lori Espinoza embezzled over$10,000 from my office while I
was hospitalized and iscurrently being investigated by
the Tucson Police DepartmentFraud Unit.
(47:31):
I couldn't find where that camefrom, so I don't know if that's
true or not.
My patient population, whichtotaled over 15,000 patients, is
now dissipated.
They have gone for care toother doctors or competitors.
What the hell do you thinkthey're going to do when you're
gone for four effing months?
Right, I mean, I'm sorry.
(47:56):
Not only that, you lied andsaid you have brain cancer.
They're probably thinking well,I don't want a dude with half a
brain to like come in, right?
Or also, if you had to havebrain removed, I don't know that
.
I kind of want you on my, yourtiny little surgical instruments
in my eyeball.
Yes, right, okay, back to brad.
(48:22):
I'm already irritated.
We've got a few more of these.
Yeah, uh, I have paid over 170000 in legal expenses, health
care costs related to myinpatient stays and rehab.
Well, right, welcome to theworld of health, which you are a
part of perpetuating.
Okay, so my monthly incomeprior to my indictment was over
(48:45):
a hundred thousand dollarsmonthly.
A hundred thousand dollarsmonthly.
But it's so sad because he goeson to say because I have not
worked since October 8, 2002,I've lost over $900,000 in pay
(49:11):
and keep in mind I had legal andhealth care costs.
Thank God, still there's noacknowledgement that he has any
of the culpability here.
So anyway, he goes on.
I have gone through a painfuldivorce.
I have three small children whowere kept from seeing me for
the four months I was in rehab.
They weren't kept from seeingyou, dude, you were, you were in
(49:33):
treatment.
You did this to yourself.
I have to stop shouting at him.
I'll just keep reading hisstuff.
Okay, I've.
I've suffered shame, humiliationand, essentially,
excommunication from the medicalcommunity in Tucson.
My career in Tucson is likelydone.
I will have to relocate toanother city If I am to practice
(49:55):
.
This will be impossible to dobecause it will require getting
licensed in another state.
I have suffered a yeah, right,I've suffered.
Right, god forbid needs to getcredentialed again.
I've suffered a careerthreatening injury that resulted
in herniation of another discin my neck and has left me with
(50:16):
potentially permanent numbnessin my left hand.
Okay, I said I wasn't going tosay anything, but like, let's
think about that.
So here we are, a surgeon who'sessentially performing like
microsurgery.
Um, are we not worried that hehas permanent numbness in his
left hand.
I know we're supposed to feelbad about it, but, like, should
(50:37):
you be looking at going back tobeing a surgeon?
Maybe that's a bigger deal, Idon't know.
Do you disclose that to yourpatients?
I'm going to do your surgerywith one hand, right?
I don't know.
He says, yeah, I want to keepmy patients safe.
(51:03):
Um, I'm close to filingbankruptcy and I have over a
hundred thousand dollars incredit card debt.
Oh, who used those credit cards, bradley?
Was it perhaps you?
Sorry?
Um, I promised I would getthrough this list.
We're almost there.
I've suffered the guilt ofknowing that I involve friends
and loved ones in my crime.
That has impacted negativelyupon them as well.
(51:27):
Ooh, it might be a hint of anapology there, but not really.
I have previously had 10full-time employees who have
since had to seek work elsewhere.
My practice provided income fortheir respective families and
loved ones.
This is also a small part ofthe guilt I bear.
Yeah, but four of those peopleare getting paid by Bri guy.
(51:48):
So you're okay, dude.
Uh, oh, and then he says theinability to work at the job
that I love more than anything.
And lastly, two frivolouslawsuits have been filed against
me immediately after theindictment in cases that did not
involve any medical wrongdoing.
The plaintiff's attorneys hopeto capitalize on my negative
public image and reachsettlement.
(52:09):
Yeah well, you put yourself inthe spotlight with your behavior
.
Also, there's that numb hand,okay.
So in October the medical boardreleased its findings, noting
that Brad's conduct would haveharmed patients who trusted him,
they ordered five years ofprobation.
While on probation, brad wasordered to submit a statement
(52:30):
under oath four times a yearthat he's complying with its
orders, including a year tocomplete the board's physician
assessment and clinicaleducation program in narcotics
and medical records.
He was banned from prescribingor storing strong meds and had
to enroll in the monitoredaftercare program for physicians
impaired by alcohol or drug use.
I mean again the fact thatthat's a program geez.
(52:52):
In addition, he had to attendgroup therapy once a week,
attend 90 12-step meetings in 90days and then a minimum of
three 12-step self-help groupmeetings a week, as recommended
by his group therapist.
He could then apply formedicine prescription after a
year.
He wasn't allowed to drinkalcohol, eat anything with poppy
seeds which was funny andsubmit to regular urine drug
(53:17):
testing.
That's a lot.
Brad pleaded guilty to 74 of the77 charges against him.
The judge decided to delaysentencing.
I know, right, you're going toquibble about the three.
I know, dude, let's round it upand make it 80.
I don't know.
The judge decided to delaysentencing for a year.
(53:37):
Lourdes and Lori got similardeals.
The charges would be dismissedif all three defendants stayed
out of trouble for a year.
Brad was ordered to pay a$7,500 fine, surrender his DEA
registration to prescribe drugs,comply with all the conditions
imposed by the Arizona MedicalBoard and give the government
$40,000 for court costs.
(53:59):
Well, I mean, remember this guywas making.
What did he say?
A hundred thousand a month,anyway, yeah, no, that would be
devastating, but we alsowouldn't behave this way.
So, okay, word of warning.
There are so many womeninvolved with this womanizing
piece of crap that I had to makehighlights.
(54:19):
So there's a list.
I'm just going to list the onesthat appear in multiple,
multiple times throughout theresearch that I did.
There's literally dozens ofwomen, but we've got a top nine
list going here Ready, so we're.
We've already heard aboutLourdes, uh, solomon Lopez.
Lourdes was married to herhusband, danny, and had two
(54:41):
children.
They divorced in 1995.
She started her career as alawyer from 97 to 99, and then
became a prosecutor with thePima County Attorney's Office in
2000.
In January of 2003, she becameengaged to Brad.
Apparently, brad paid herex-husband Danny meanwhile to
kill Brad, but Danny died in agun battle with cops in March of
(55:03):
2003 before he was able tofulfill the deal.
It was apparently some drugdeal gone bad, can you, I mean,
let that sink in.
Okay, brad and Lourdes moved intogether in April of 2004, but
Brad left after two days ofliving together.
So that went well.
(55:28):
And then, to make matters moreexciting, in May of 2004, he
stole Lourdes' car.
He just showed up in herdriveway with a spare set of
keys and drove it off.
Um, what a dude, what a stellarguy.
All right, next lady, ate,aisha, henry.
Aisha met brad in rehab and raninto him.
(55:49):
Later on he told her he lovedher.
He tried to get her to file asexual assault claim on brian to
get even with him.
She refused and in 2004 bradasked aisha if she would get her
husband to hurt brian for 3 000.
And in 2004, brad asked Aishaif she would get her husband to
hurt Brian for $3,000.
Yes, you heard that right.
She was married the whole timeand he wanted to pay $3,000 just
to kind of incapacitate him alittle.
(56:10):
Maybe quote unquote throw acidin his eyes, yeah.
Next lady Liliana Bibb.
Liliana was apparently Lourdes'cousin.
So great, um, how did I mean?
What are the odds?
Because they met on matchcom,brad proposed to her after two
weeks of dating.
Um, what I like about Lilianais, uh, she found out that he
(56:34):
was cheating on her, so sheborrowed $2,000 from him and
ghosted him.
He never got the money back.
So that's one for the ladies.
Next lady Stephanie Nagel.
Stephanie met Brad at thecourthouse where they were both
in attendance for their ownpersonal crimes.
She had some fraud or badchecks or something she was
(56:56):
dealing with.
Brad pestered her to date himand then asked her if she knew
any hit men.
You know, as you do.
Oh, you're so hot.
No, no, no, what's yourfavorite color?
Do you know any hit men?
Um, and she asked why he wasasking her that.
And he's like well, you've beenin jail, so I figured he'd know
such a person.
So Stephanie also wised up andmanaged to ghost him eventually.
(57:21):
Now we get to Carmen Fernandez.
Carmen was a phlebotomist and acollege student studying
criminal justice.
She was separated from herhusband and had one child.
She met Brad because he wouldcome in weekly for his urine tox
screenings and try to hit onher.
Eventually, one of herco-workers said you should go
out with that guy, he's cute,guess what.
(57:41):
Brad asked her if she knew ahitman.
That didn't seem to deter hervery much, though, because she
became pregnant with his childin the summer of 2004.
So, reminiscent of the moneythat disappeared with Liliana,
brad gave her $2,000 and hedisappeared.
Nice Rachel Atkinson is next.
(58:12):
She met Brad in 2004 when shetook her infant son to see him
and Brad removed a tumor frombehind the child's left eye.
She messaged him about herson's recovery and he eventually
asked her out.
I mean, as you do, rachel wasrecovering from a broken
engagement, so they startedsleeping together several times
a week.
Next lady for a shave KristenPeterson.
She met Brad by answering apersonal ad of Brian's on an
(58:35):
online dating site.
She helped him move out of hishome with Lourdes after those
famous two days that theymanaged to live together.
He knew about his other women.
Oh God, this woman is batshit.
Oh yeah, I couldn't even mybrain couldn't do the math to
see how much overlap was goingon.
I mean, there were handfuls ata time, but Kristen is probably
(59:02):
the most cray cray out of thegroup.
Um, she knew what was going onwith all these extra women.
But she said quote, damn it,bradley, I love you.
You've literally had my heartfrom day one.
There's just something aboutyou.
Even knowing that you had 10girlfriends at once, including
me, I still somehow thought itwas me that you loved the most.
Period end quote.
I know, kristen, get sometherapy, honey, you deserve
(59:25):
better.
Yeah, you deserve better.
Oh god, we're not even at nineyet.
Okay, lisa goldberg, lisa andbrad met on matchcom.
They went on a date on this.
Uh, for sure, for sure, forsure.
On the.
The second date, bradley toldher he loved her.
She told him she wasn't thereyet, you know.
(59:48):
Second date yeah, but on thethird date he took her shopping
for an engagement ring.
The guy just doesn't know howto slow it down.
Um, so Lisa shared that Bradtalked about a deep seated
resentment towards Brian andthat Brian had taken all his
(01:00:08):
patients away and ruined hislife.
I want him dead, he told her onenight.
That's a terrible thing to say.
She told him well, it's aterrible thing he did to me.
He shouted I'm telling you, Iwant that man killed.
That's ridiculous.
She said you don't mean it andyou know it.
He ruined my life, lisa.
Brad said he's gonna die.
All right, let's go on to.
(01:00:30):
Yeah, here's something.
Please say something tosomebody.
Somebody, uh, I mean not tothis extent, holy cow.
Okay.
So Rosalia.
Rosalia Humo was a friend ofLourdes who needed a job.
(01:00:51):
Lourdes referred to her orsorry, lourdes referred her to
Brad's office state, statingthat Brad was starting up his
practice again and he might needan assistant.
Rosalia agreed to meet withBrad and a smart girl took her
friend Margaret along.
Brad told her I've got thishuge, huge problem and I need
someone to help me get rid ofthis problem.
Do you remember that doctor?
(01:01:12):
I was working with Dr Stidham.
He's the problem, brad said.
He practically ruined my life.
It's been hell just gettingback to where I am.
Do you think you could help me?
Like, do what she asked?
Well, I was thinking that ifsomeone planted pornography in
his office because he's apediatric ophthalmologist, it
would land him in real hot water.
Lord just told me, somethinglike that could ruin someone for
(01:01:34):
life.
And if it would get out intothe community, into the papers
that this children's eye surgeonwas caught with porn in his
office.
It would humiliate him just theway I was humiliated when he
turned me over in the drug thingperiod, end quote.
How would you right?
Um and rosalia had nothing todo with it.
But our sorry, uh, brian hadnothing to do with it, neither
(01:01:57):
did versalia.
But um, so rosalia goes on.
How would you do it?
She asked well, brad said Icould take a picture of my son
naked and then we could plant itin brian's office and then call
the cops.
I think I said.
Brian said but it was brad,this is brad.
Can you imagine talking aboutyour own child and then take a
(01:02:21):
naked picture of them and put itout there to frame someone?
The hell is wrong with this guy.
He goes, rosalia, maybe youcould put it there or you could
get someone else to do itObviously I can't be the one to
do it because you have standards, dude and then maybe we could
plant some illegal drugs in hisoffice.
Maybe you know where we couldget some drugs and we could put
(01:02:44):
them there too.
Yeah, she said, why are you somad at him to do that?
He stole my patients, brad said.
When I was in rehab.
I lost half my patients andhalf my staff to Brian.
You know I pulled him out ofLongview, texas, to come here.
I paid 120k to relocate him.
All I asked for was a littleloyalty and at the first sign of
(01:03:07):
trouble he splits and takeshalf of everything with him.
He doesn't know how much harm Ican cause him.
I know where he works.
He has an office at First andRiver, this little complex where
it's dark when he gets off lateat night.
Do you think he could findsomebody, like one of your gang
members, to kill him?
What Rosalia said shocked.
I want him fucking dead.
(01:03:27):
Brad said Can he find someone?
I need someone.
I can make it look like acarjacking.
You know he drives a whiteLexus and he always parks it in
the same place.
He leaves late at night.
I mean it would be nothing forsomeone to knock him off and
take the car.
The cops would think it's justanother random killing.
I'm sure you know people who dothis sort of thing.
I'd pay him too, half up front,half after.
Do you think you can help me,rosalia, I can see about that.
(01:03:52):
She said, unsure if he wasserious.
She thought the sooner sheagreed with him, the sooner she
could leave and hope to neversee him again.
There are so many things rightnow that I want to say, but
maybe I mean we can maybe bottleit up and to the end, but take
a deep breath.
Okay, so this wasn't the onlytime brad said stuff like this.
(01:04:15):
There were multiple occasionswhere his womanizing or
connections with people resultedin him somehow manipulating the
conversation.
In instances where his lover oracquaint connections with
people resulted in him somehowmanipulating the conversation.
In instances where his lover oracquaintance could potentially
exact revenge against brian'sdid him and nobody took him
seriously.
Enter bruce bigger.
Speaker 1 (01:04:33):
And this, dear listeners, is where we'll pick
up the rest of the story nextweek wow, what a great place to
stop, because none of us arewondering I, I, my jaw is still
down here.
Let me pick it up quick aboutum brad.
Obviously, casing out brian athis new place of work knows well
(01:04:54):
.
I suppose he would have knownwhat he drove from working
together before.
But you know where you parkyour car, well, brown, that time
he gets off work it's nice anddark.
So I'm just like did brad do it, or god it's?
Speaker 2 (01:05:06):
so stalkery somebody go do this oh my goodness, we'll
have to stay tuned yeah, right,I, I'm like why are you
assuming I know people like thiswell, really all the women.
What, what?
(01:05:27):
Yeah, well, and, and I feellike, cause he's a he's a
flaming racist, I think.
Because she was Mexican, heassumed okay, you're a gang
member who, uh, obviously canget ahold of drugs and hit men.
I mean, he's such a piece ofgarbage.
I just really hate this guy.
Speaker 1 (01:05:42):
Okay, well, um, fascinating so far, thank you.
I can't wait to find out whathappens with him.
Um, I hope he's either.
I'm not going to say cause thisis everyone's first time
meeting me, so I'm not gonna sayum, thank, you.
Speaker 2 (01:06:06):
So next week we are going to cover part two of sins,
of the stuff scope, where wewill meet suspects, discuss the
trial, the verdict and thecurrent status of the alleged
killer or killers so don't missit.
Speaker 1 (01:06:21):
Subscribe and follow doctoring the truth wherever you
enjoy your podcasts for storiesthat shock, intrigue and
educate.
Trust, After all, is a delicatething.
You can also leave us comments,questions or compliments on our
website at doctoring the truthDot buzzsproutcom.
Goodbye.
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