More come forward to accuse psychiatrist

From this report in USA Today

A dozen women have come forward claiming a Lawrenceville psychiatrist fondled them during patient consultations, a Lawrenceville police detective said Friday.

"I'm dealing with an influx of women," Detective Brad Daugherty testified in a probable-cause hearing Friday for Dr. Mohammad Uzair Qureshi.

Qureshi, 45, faces charges of sexual battery and sexual assault by a practitioner of psychotherapy against a patient, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

A Gwinnett County magistrate judge Friday granted Qureshi a $75,000 bond provided he surrenders his passport, agrees to have no unsupervised contact with patients and consents to being monitored by a GPS device.

Qureshi was first arrested earlier this month after a female patient at the Gwinnett-Rockdale-Newton Community Services Board in Lawrenceville complained he touched her inappropriately during an appointment. He spent one night in jail before being released on $33,200 bail.

Since then, police have interviewed 11 more women with similar accusations, Daugherty said.

Qureshi was jailed again last week based on some of their statements.

Even though a judge granted him bond, Qureshi will not be able to practice psychiatry while the case is pending, according to his lawyer Andrew B. Margolis. His employer, Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital has suspended Qureshi until the case is settled, Margolis said.

Qureshi wore a green prison jumpsuit in court, his demeanor unassuming, and he appeared almost bookish in wire-framed glasses.

The detective testified that Qureshi used his position of authority as a doctor to manipulate some female patients into removing their shirts and bras.

He asked them if they were feeling anxious, Daugherty said, which was a segue into touching their arm for a pulse or having them lift their shirt and bra so he could check their heart rate with a stethoscope.

"They went along with it even though they were questioning why he needed to touch their breasts. Especially when their heart is not in either one of them," Daugherty said.

Daugherty said the director of the community services board warned Qureshi in April about touching two other patients inappropriately.

After his initial arrest, Qureshi was fired from the community services board, according to its lawyer.

The lead defense attorney said Qureshi is innocent and the case will not stand up in court.

"To call this investigation flimsy would be a kindness at best," Margolis said.