Doctor’s future in hands of board
Posted on Friday, October 3, 2008
The Arkansas State Medical Board will decide in December whether an Alma doctor accused of fondling female patients will be allowed to return to the practice of medicine.
Board members heard testimony Thursday from five women who said Dr. Clarence Jay Arendall inappropriately touched them during visits to his family practice clinic dating to 2005.
But the board held off on a decision until its meeting scheduled for Dec. 4–5, when they will hear testimony from Arendall.
He also faces two counts of second-degree sexual assault in Crawford County Circuit Court.
Arendall’s attorney David Lewis requested the medical board extend its hearing and delay his testimony to allow the defense time to access medical records seized by authorities after Arendall was arrested March 3.
Arendall, who was released on $ 25, 000 bond, pleaded innocent to both felony counts in April. His trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 9 before Crawford County Circuit Judge Gary Cottrell.
The Arkansas State Medical Board issued an emergency order to suspend his medical license in mid-April. Thursday’s decision was the second extension of the medical board hearing.
Board members heard testimony from two women at a June 5 meeting, but delayed action so that Arendall could get a lawyer to represent him and so that the board could summon other women to testify.
“The board isn’t concerned about [the extension ] because his license has been suspended,” said board attorney Bill Trice. “He can’t practice medicine.” Arendall is accused of violating Arkansas State Medical Board Regulation 2. 7, which prohibits a licensed physician from having sexual contact or sexual relations with a patient. If he’s found in violation, the board could vote to discipline the doctor or revoke his license to practice medicine in the state.
Arendall and his attorney declined to comment after Thursday’s meeting.
During the June 5 meeting, Arendall denied claims of the two women who testified against him. Both women said Arendall pulled down their pants and underwear, touched their genitals and made sexually suggestive comments.
Arendall said he didn’t do unclothed exams on either woman and always has a chaperone present when doing such exams.
His wife, Karla Arendall, also testified at the June 5 hearing, saying she works in his office and has a desk about 10 feet away from the exam rooms. She said she would have heard if anything inappropriate happened.
Crawford County Prosecut- ing Attorney Marc McCune said Wednesday as many as 15 women have come forward and given statements.
The five women who testified Thursday all said the incidents occurred during visits to Arendall’s clinic in which he examined them unclothed in a clinic room, without a nurse present.
A 20-year-old Van Buren woman said she went to see Arendall about medication to help her lose weight during her freshman year at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
After telling her he would prescribe the medication, he told her to take off all her clothes. After telling him she didn’t feel comfortable, he said they would have to do it the “hard way,” the woman said.
He then touched her breasts and pulled down her pants and underwear, she said.
“It was so shocking to me, it really was,” she said. “He wrote my prescription, and I left crying.” A 21-year-old Mulberry woman said she went to see Arendall in 2007 because of diarrhea and bleeding. While she was lying fully clothed on the exam table, she said, he pulled down her jeans and underwear and touched her genitals.
Both women said they didn’t go to police until they heard of other women’s complaints against Arendall on the news.
“I didn’t want this to happen to anybody else,” the 21-year-old said.
Arendall has been licensed to practice medicine in Arkansas since 2002.
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