- Nurse took photos of patient at hospital while working there in 2014
- Her co-workers complained that triggered an investigation by the County District Attorney’s Office
- Felony charges were later reduced, but she was forced to give up her license and spend three years on probation
NEW YORK, USA – A nurse in New York surrendered her licensed after she was proven guilty of taking a photo of an unconscious male patient’s genitals using her phone.
Dan Good for New York Daily News published an article on March 29 which identified the nurse as 27-year-old Kristen Johnson from Fulton, who took photos of a patient at Upstate University Hospital while working there in 2014.
On August 2014, Johnson used her phone to photograph an incapacitated male patient’s genitals. Upon checking and seizing Johnson’s personal belongings, police found the photo and the video of the patient in the nurse’s laptop.
The nurse was then charged with two counts of felony second-degree unlawful surveillance, and one count of second-degree disseminating unlawful surveillance, a misdemeanor.
An article by Jacob Pucci for Syracuse.com on May 26 last year said that the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office began investigating after the nurse’s co-workers complained that she captured images of two patients and sent them via text message.
The state University Police at Upstate and Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick worked together to investigate the incident, which took nine months.
On May 2015, authorities arrested Johnson and was arraigned in City Court and has since been released from the Onondaga County Justice Center.
An article by Mary Bowerman for USA Today said that Johnson pleaded guilty in November 2015 to disseminating of unlawful surveillance photos. The nurse felony charge was later reduced, and as part of the plea bargain, she was forced to give up her license. The nurse has also been required to spend three years on probation.
The state Board of Regents condemned Johnson’s actions and said that she “did not contest the charge of moral unfitness in the practice.”
Post a Comment