Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mt. Sinai Doctor Accused Of Drugging Patient, Ejaculating On Her
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 14, 2016
Modified Jan 14, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 14, 2016
Modified Jan 14, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A prominent doctor at Mt. Sinai Hospital is accused of heavily sedating a 22-year-old patient with morphine and then ejaculating on her face while she was semi-conscious. Dr. David H. Newman, who has reportedly given lectures on the importance of improving the patient-doctor bond, has not been arrested or charged.
The Daily News reports that the alleged incident occurred on the evening of January 11th, when the woman went to the hospital for shoulder pain. A nurse apparently gave her "two pain pills and a shot for inflammation," and then morphine because the patient was still in pain. She was also asked to change into a gown for X-rays:
The woman claims she removed her shirt and bra, but kept her pants on. The woman was still dressed in the gown when Dr. Newman walked into her room following the X-ray.
“I’m going to give you a shot of morphine,” the doctor told her, according to sources familiar with the woman’s claims. The patient says she told the doctor that a nurse had already administered the drug, but she then felt a burning sensation in her arm that convinced her that Newman gave her more morphine anyway.
The visit turned creepy when the patient, while the doctor was examining her back, told him she felt pain on the right side of her chest. Newman started fondling her breasts, she alleged, according to sources.
The doctor then moved her bed away from the wall and positioned himself with his back toward the patient. The woman heard the sounds of someone masturbating — and then felt semen on her face, she claimed. All the while, she was unable to move because she was heavily medicated, sources said.
A nurse and a different physician found her, a source told the News, with the nurse unbelieving over the patient's "blacked-out state." The patient was also unable to respond because she wasn't fully conscious. When she woke up, the News reports, "[S]he walked into the bathroom and spotted what appeared to be semen on her face and bare chest. She told police she wiped it off with a gown, which she then placed in a plastic bag along with the bedding — presumably to preserve as evidence."
A Post source says the NYPD Special Victims Squad wants to interview Newman about the alleged incident. Mt. Sinai said in a statement: "We are aware of an allegation that has been made against one of our physicians,” the hospital said in a statement. “This is a matter under investigation and we are fully cooperating with the appropriate authorities. We take this matter very seriously and are conducting our own internal investigation."
Newman has given TedTalks and in 2013 he wrote an op-ed for the NY Times about gun violence. He has reportedly been barred from seeing patients.
Tagged
dr. david newman
groping
mt sinai
sexual abuse
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .