Someone who will be perfect for his talents .... and guess what ... he
has found one ...
MADISON, WI -- December 4, 2003) Dr. Stuart Suster will be escorted
out of his disciplinary hearing if he continues to engage in
disruptive behavior, according to the judge presiding over the case.
Administrative Law Judge Ruby Jefferson-Moore explained new "rules of
conduct" Thursday morning -- the fourth day of a trial which will
determine whether Suster will keep his medical license.
Suster faces eleven counts of unprofessional conduct involving dozens
of former patients at Great Lakes Pain Center, the doctor's Wauwatosa
pain clinic. The allegations include sexual misconduct, fraud and
threatening to injure patients. The State Department of Regulation and
Licensing filed the complaint against Suster following a year-long
undercover investigation by FOX 6 News.
During the first three days of hearings, Suster frequently disrupted
testimony with angry outbursts. He yelled at witnesses and threatened
both the judge and the state's prosecuting attorney, using derogatory
names and profanity-laced tirades. The doctor's behavior includes:
Monday - Suster told the judge she was "completely out of order," he
accused one of the witnesses of testifying while under the influence
of alcohol, and he started clapping loudly during the proceedings.
Tuesday - Suster told the prosecuting attorney he would be
"terminated" after the hearing, and he also told the prosecutor to "Go
to hell!" He instructed a witness to answer his questions or "I'm
going to bring down holy hell."
Wednesday - Suster told the judge "You aint gonna survive," he called
the prosecutor a "yo-yo," and he repeatedly cursed at those in the
hearing room and declared all of the state's witnesses are liars who
are conspiring against him.
Each day the Department of Regulation and Licensing called State
Capitol Police to restore order to the hearing. Officers did not
arrest Suster, but they did present a videotape of the proceedings to
prosecutors at the Dane County District Attorney's office for review.
Unlike a circuit court judge, the administrative law judge does not
have authority to declare a person in contempt of court.
The first four days of testimony focused on allegations that Suster
inappropriately touched some of his patients and that he allegedly
committed fraud by overbilling insurance companies for services he did
not perform. Several female patients testified Suster kissed them
during their appointments or touched their breasts for non-medical
purposes. One of the doctor's medical assistants later testified that,
in some cases, it was patients who initiated the affectionate behavior
-- not the doctor.
Insurance company investigators testified that Suster used improper
billing codes to cheat them out of thousands of dollars. They also
told the judge Suster submitted insurance forms that claim he spent
more than 24 hours a day in face-to-face contact with patients. The
insurance companies say that is impossible and shows his intent to
commit fraud.
The state hopes to call all of its witnesses during the first two
weeks of the disciplinary hearing. Suster will then have an
opportunity to call his own witnesses. The doctor is serving as his
own attorney after several law firms asked to step down from the case.
That means Suster is personally cross-examining former patients who
have accused him of wrongdoing. During the first week of testimony,
some of the patients refused to look at Suster as he was asking them
questions. Other former patients shook nervously during their
cross-examination and broke into tears.
"Are you still upset with me?" Suster asked one patient."I actually am
kind of disgusted by you," she responded. "You disgust me."
FOX 6 will continue to provide exclusive coverage of the doctor's
disciplinary hearing. Based on each day's scheduling and testimony,
you can see reports on FOX 6 News at 5:00, 6:00, 9:00 and 10:00. You
can also find weekly updates at this website.
Scheduled hearing dates...
December 1 - 5, 2003
December 15 - 19, 2003
January 12 - 16, 2004
January 20 - 23, 2004
Oh, did I forget to mention that Dr. Suster is a dwarf?? Absentminded
me. Physically by birth of course ... rather than others we know who
are mental dwarfs by choice.