Equal Time for Dr. Mel Levine

Click Here for the August 5, 2008 New York Times Update.

Roxiticus Desperate Housewives wanted to let you know that we haven't dropped the Mel Levine civil suit story, but there hasn't been much of an update in the news since the original reports in the Boston Globe in the first week of April. I did find one April 15th article ("Claims Shock Doctor's Backers") in the News & Observer (Raleigh.Durham.Cary.Chapel Hill), which got me thinking about providing equal time for Dr. Mel Levine here on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives. There are a handful of bloggers "taking sides," but we're going to try to remain neutral and report the facts as the case unfolds.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the case, here is a brief summary. You can find more details in my earlier posts about Dr. Mel Levine.

Physician accused of sex abuse of children; At least 7 men say they were victims

Dr. Mel Levine, a renowned pediatrician and bestselling author who served for 14 years as chief of ambulatory pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston, is accused of sexually abusing at least seven boys in his care, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Suffolk (Massachusetts) Superior Court on March 31st. The lawsuit, filed by an unnamed plaintiff who was 8 years old when the alleged abuse began, said Dr. Melvin D. Levine "sexually assaulted, battered, and abused" him between 1980 and 1985.

"Levine, during his treatment sessions, under the guise of performing repeated but unnecessary physical examinations, sexually assaulted John No. 5, including numerous acts of genital fondling, masturbation, and other attempted and threatened acts of assault," the lawsuit asserts.
In a faxed statement, Levine's lawyer, Edward Mahoney of Boston, said the doctor is innocent. "Dr. Mel Levine has provided pediatric care to more than 15,000 children over 40 years and categorically denies that he has ever been abusive in any way toward any patient," said Mahoney, who questioned the motives of the lawyer filing the suit. "He adamantly denies these claims. Dr. Levine is distressed about the distorted or misinterpreted memories from decades past and questions the motivations."

Previously, I've provided contact phone numbers and/or web sites for the Boston and Raleigh, North Carolina attorneys who are representing those who believe they were victims of sex abuse under the care of Dr. Mel Levine. In the interest of equal time, I wanted to add a phone number (617-227-3240) and web site for Dr. Mel Levine's Boston attorney, Edward Mahoney. I am sure they are seeking former patients who are willing to come forward and discuss their positive experiences with Dr. Levine.