BY LARA BECKER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Good help is hard to find, but a sex offender who is an experienced doctor should not assume he'll find work at Cincinnati's health clinics -- even if he works for free.
Dr. David H. Gillis was ordered to do 200 hours of community service in city clinics as part of his punishment for fondling patients, exposing himself to them and failing to keep proper records of drugs handled by his office.
Dr. Judith Daniels, the health department's medical director, said no one consulted her about the assignment. If someone had, she said, her answer would have been emphatic:
"He can't and he won't," she said. "This is no place for a person who has been convicted of fondling patients and exposing himself. Why is this even a question?"
Dr. Daniels said the Cincinnati clinics, which treat people who cannot afford doctors or don't have insurance, are fully staffed with doctors who have not been convicted.
Dr. Gillis' lawyer, Ken Lawson, said his client is innocent. "My response is: She doesn't know what she's talking about," Mr. Lawson said. "If the allegations were true, I would agree with her."
The doctor was convicted on his no-contest pleas to two charges of sexual imposition and one count of failing to maintain administrative records of drugs.
In exchange, 10 similar charges were dropped.
Hamilton County Municipal Judge Jack Rosen said Thursday that he was trying to do a good deed and make use of Dr. Gillis' expertise when he sentenced him Tuesday.
Judge Rosen sentenced Dr. Gillis, 54, to undergo sex-offender counseling and perform the community service at the city clinics. The judge also imposed three years probation and a $900 fine.
Judge Rosen said he will decide Monday where else Dr. Gillis should do his community service.
The sentence was unusual for a convicted sex offender, said Scott Greenwood, a constitutional rights lawyer.
"Society is on a blood lust for these kinds of defendants," he said. "There are moves to keep them locked up longer or civilly commit them.
"The scenario points out many of the stigmas attached to sex offenders," he said. "It's going to follow him for the rest of his life."
Dr. Gillis has resumed his Cincinnati medical practice.
Lisa Allen, an assistant city prosecutor who handled the Gillis case, said she agreed it is inappropriate to have Dr. Gillis working in the clinics.
"This is no place for a person who has been convicted of fondling patients and exposing himself.' -- Dr. Judith Daniels, health department medical director
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
