commentary by Patrick H. Moore
We here at All Things Crime Blog truly love Florida. Among our Twitter followers, there are probably more Florida residents than any other state. Nonetheless, and I’m sure most — if not all of our Florida friends – would agree, that just like in California, things get weird sometimes in the Gunshine State. In fact, they get very weird. Florida is where the quack doctor recently got convicted for injecting a Fix-A-Flat solution into the derrieres of transsexuals. But even aberrant behavior of that ilk can hardly top what Dr. David Simon of Lake Worth is accused of. According to Huff Crime News, the good doctor is in “hot water” for “his twisted ‘punishment therapy’” that consisted of treating a depressed patient by “disrobing, binding, whipping and beating her.”
According to what the patient, who is known only as CK, told detectives, Sawbones Simon told her the “punishment therapy”, which consisted of using blindfolds, whips and phallic objects on her for hours on end, would help remedy her depression. To her credit, the victim reportedly told the detectives that she “didn’t like” the therapy, which took place after normal work hours, but consented to the acts with Simon monthly for a year.
Based on information provided by the Sun-Sentinel, it appears that the Doc greatly enjoyed these psychotherapeutic physical therapy sessions. What sadist would not? He would regularly choke and tie up the naked woman. Then, as these exercises in perversion drew to a close, she would be required to perform sexual acts on Simon as a “thank you” gesture.
The victim reported the acts to deputies in December of 2011.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office began investigating after CK and her mental-health counselor called to report the abuse. A detective then went to Simon’s office, where he obtained the doctor’s consent for a search. The detective reports that in an exam room, he found whips, chains, blindfolds, handcuffs and sexual paraphernalia.
Simon told “a little white lie” to the detective when he stated that he and CK had a consensual sexual relationship that began after she was no longer his patient. Prescription records reportedly show that he had prescribed medicine for CK several times during the year when the sadomasochistic sessions occurred.
CK told investigators she wanted to stop the sessions but was afraid Simon would hurt her if she did. But after a scary three-hour torture session in November 2011, she decided she could not continue. She said Simon left her tied up in a closet for quite a while and when he finally let her out, he choked her and whipped her repeatedly.
The records show that she attempted suicide the following month and was hospitalized.
Things are very different at our legal business in Los Angeles. We observe strict propriety with our female clients, no matter how fetching they might be. This is clearly not the case with some physicians in the Gunshine State.
Of course, although the Doc has not been arrested or charged with any crime, he is not getting away scot-free. First of all, he admitted to having an unusual and sexual relationship with a then 38-year-old patient. He made a settlement offer which would bar him from practice for two years and result in a $10,000 fine, but the Medical Board turned him down stating the charges were too serious to settle.
He has also “apologized profusely” to the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine, which, according to WPFB, is considering revoking his license.
Simon’s attorney, David Spencer, told WPBF that his client is “deeply embarrassed”.
“This was a consensual relationship with an adult woman. However, the Board of Health is clear that doctors can’t have a sexual relationship with a patient. That’s why we worked out the settlement.”
Unsurprisingly, this is not the first time that Simon has been “in the soup” for sexual misconduct. WPBF reported that he was flagged for sexual harassment in 2010, when he allegedly rubbed a 24-year-old woman’s back and buttocks after a gynecological exam. The doctor – who clearing seems to enjoy playing the role of the sadist — allegedly said at the time, “I think you need to be punished for being a bad girl. It seems you really need to be punished.”
Simon has practiced medicine in the area for 28 years, according to Health News Florida. Needless to say, he is married. His wife apparently has not commented on the case.