A lawsuit reportedly accused a U.S. Army gynecologist of secretly filming and sexually exploiting women amid intimate exams.
The documents alleged U.S. Army Maj. Blaine McGraw, an OB-GYN at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Texas’ Fort Hood, performed invasive intimate exams and used his phone to record without patient consent, according to CBS News. The filings claimed he “used his position of trust to sexually exploit, manipulate, and secretly record women under his care.”
The lawsuit was submitted to the District Court of Bell County by “Jane Doe.” The documents alleged McGraw “groped, touched, and examined Doe in ways that had nothing to do with healing—performing invasive breast and vaginal examinations in ways that were unnecessary, humiliating, and profoundly violating, and which had nothing to do with the medical issues for which she sought care.”
The acts allegedly occurred during at least seven or eight appointments where nurses were not present or had been sent away. Doe had sought care from McGraw for pelvic pain and worries over uterine health, according to the complaint.
Doe is being represented by attorney Andrew Cobos, according to CBS News. The lawyer said the plaintiff’s spouse has served for over two decades. Cobos told the outlet he is also representing 45 other alleged victims.
McGraw allegedly pretended to have a phone call while performing a pelvic exam Oct. 14 on Doe and then slid his phone into his breast pocket to record the exam. “McGraw then resumed the examination and asked Jane Doe to remove her pants so that he could examine her pelvic area—even as his phone captured every private, intimate moment and organ without Jane Doe’s knowledge. McGraw then suggested a breast exam, despite Jane Doe protesting that she wasn’t having any breast-related concerns. McGraw did not ask for consent to record—because he knew she would never get it,” the documents alleged,
Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigators notified Doe that McGraw was allegedly recording patients during exams amid an Oct. 17 interview, according to the lawsuit.
Fort Hood Medical Center announced the suspension of a medica provider in an Oct. 28 statement. “Potentially affected patients are being contacted by Army CID,” the announcement said, noting that the investigation was active. The medical center noted that the provider was suspended Oct. 17 due to a patient’s accusations in a second statement issued Nov. 10. (RELATED: 12-Year-Old Girl Suspected In Two DC Robberies)
The same lawsuit claims “the Army knew” about McGraw’s alleged actions at Fort Hood and in a previous role at Hawaii’s Tripler Army Medical Center, “yet leadership dismissed the warnings, laughed off credible allegations, and allowed McGraw to continue practicing.”
“When the whistleblowing husband who exposed Defendant McGraw’s filming sought to meet with Army leadership, he was refused meetings at every level. He was told to ‘send an email,’” the documents alleged.
The Daily Caller contacted the District Court of Bell County and the U.S. Army CID, neither of whom immediately commented.