Today a state appeals court upheld a former Bloomfield doctor’s conviction for inappropriately touching of a female patient.
Raymond Russomanno, 72, a former orthopedist, filed an appeal claiming that the video recording used at his trial should not have been used since prosecutors failed to obtain a warrant among other claims.
However, the appellate panel rejected each of Russomanno's arguments, stating the recording was admissible because the victim consented to it.
In 2007, the victim visited Russomanno after experiencing back pain. During the visits, the victim claimed Russomanno pulled down her skirt and felt around her buttock area, rubbed her inner thigh even making contact with her private area.
After filing a police report in Bloomfield, the victim returned to Russomanno’s office, this time to capture video footage. Nonetheless, because of a malfunction camera failed to record. A second attempt resulted in a video with a ‘frozen image’ but audio was recorded in which similar actions by Russomanno took place.
Russomanno in 2008 was charged in a 51-count indictment alleging sexual crimes against 15 female patients, but allegations from two patients were later dismissed.
In 2011, Russomanno was convicted of four counts of criminal sexual contact, and found not guilty on two counts of attempted sexual assault and seven other counts of criminal sexual contact. Russomanno was banned from practicing medicine again.
In a trial in 2012, involving the 12 other patients, he was cleared of the most serious charges but was convicted of on harassment charges.
Russomanno in March of 2013, was sentenced to 18 months of probation.