On Wednesday, a judge found acupuncturist Edward Raskin guilty of sexually assaulting a patient at Spirit Acupuncture in Springfield, NJ in 2017. This conviction came following a two-week trial.
The prosecutor’s office alleged that Raskin had sexually assaulted an adult patient during an appointment at Spirit Acupuncture on December 30, 2017.
Raskin and his defense waived the right to a trial by jury. Judge DiFabrizio then convicted him of second-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
In New Jersey, second-degree sexual assault convictions are usually punishable by 5 to 10 years in state prison and a minimum of 85 percent of the term served before the possibility of parole.
Raskin also had an office in New York City. Prosecutors have asked anyone with information regarding Raskin to contact Sgt. Santos at 908-577-4256 or Sgt. Mirabile at 973-912-2242.
As a former sex crimes prosecutor, attorney Guy D'Andrea held sexual predators accountable for their crimes. Today, Brian represents sexual assault victims in civil lawsuits. Here are some of his thoughts on how the legal system can help victims of sexual assault by acupuncturists and other medical professionals:
Patients trust acupuncturists to provide them with high-quality healthcare and to treat them with respect. Most acupuncturists are worthy of this trust, but there have also been cases of these and other medical professionals sexually assaulting their patients. The patients who have been victimized by acupuncturists may have legal rights in both criminal and civil courts.
Along with criminal penalties, acupuncturists who sexually assault their patients can also be held accountable in civil lawsuits. In many cases, patients may have grounds for a lawsuit against the acupuncturist and potentially the facility where the sexual assault happened.
You can learn more about your legal rights as a victim of sexual assault by an acupuncturist by contacting our experienced sexual assault victims lawyers for a free consultation.
https://www.nj.com/union/2020/02/judge-convicts-acupuncturist-of-sexually-assaulting-patient.html