Army Doctor Faces Over 50 Counts of Sexual Misconduct in Major Prosecution Case

An Army doctor, Major Michael Stockin, made his first appearance in a military courtroom in Washington state on Friday to face more than 50 counts of sexual misconduct. The accusations were brought by dozens of patients, making it one of the largest prosecutions of its kind by the Army.

The Charges

The charges against Major Stockin include 47 counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of indecent viewing under the military code of justice, according to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel who is prosecuting the case. After ongoing review of the evidence, prosecutors dropped one count of abusive sexual contact. All 41 alleged victims are male, and the documents include allegations that Stockin attempted to cover up the sexual abuse of patients by falsely representing that it had a "medical purpose."

Legal Proceedings

Stockin was expected to enter a plea of not guilty to the charges but elected to defer entering a plea at the hearing, according to prosecutors. His attorney, Robert Capovilla, urged the public to withhold judgment until the case is heard, emphasizing that they intend to fight against every single allegation until the jury renders their verdict. The trial is scheduled to begin in October and is slated to last more than a month.

Victims Speak Out

Two former patients spoke out for the first time publicly in exclusive interviews with CBS News. They described conduct that they say betrayed their trust and allege that the abuse took place under the guise of medical care. The two men, who are now retired after more than 20 years in the Army, including three combat tours each, intend to testify at Stockin's court martial.

Suspension and Potential Penalties

Stockin has been suspended from seeing patients, but his medical license remains active, according to the Washington State Department of Health database. If convicted on all counts, Stockin could face a prison sentence of more than 330 years if sentences were to be served consecutively.