William David Moore (right) appears at a hearing over suspension of his medical license with counsel (left). (screengrab via YouTube)
Dozens of women and girls have sued an Indiana gynecologist and former county health official who has already been deemed a “danger to the public,” accusing him of rampant sexual abuse — and lawyers say even more victims are expect to come forward.
William David Moore, a 76-year-old obstetrician/gynecologist who practiced medicine in Marion, Indiana since 1994, has been sued for medical malpractice by 83 female patients ranging in age from 15 to 73 years old. The lawsuit alleges that Moore sexually assaulted them during routine exams, photographed their genitalia without their consent, and made inappropriate sexual comments, according to a report by local Fox affiliate WXIN.
The lawsuit names Moore, Dr. Moore’s Women’s Healthcare, Ambulatory Care Center, and Marion General Hospital as defendants.
Moore retired abruptly at the end of 2022, shortly after accusations against him began to surface when a former patient’s Facebook post accused the doctor of misconduct went viral, sparking a wave of women to come forward with claims of sexual abuse.
In January, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General filed a petition against Moore for suspension of his license and called the doctor “a clear and present danger to the public.”
At the time, Moore was accused of assaulting patients during pelvic exams, failing to wear gloves, and ordering unnecessary medical tests. Nurses also say Moore was known to have erections during vaginal deliveries, and that medical staff would often cover his lap to hide them.
The allegations raised by the Jane Doe plaintiffs in the attorney general’s petition were graphic.
One patient, listed as “Patient A,” said that during a 2021 medical exam, Moore inserted a speculum into her vagina, took photos with an iPhone, then inserted his fingers and rubbed her clitoris in a sexual manner while asking that she do kegel exercises. Patient A says that after that, Moore had a medical assistant come into the room and take another photograph while he held open her labia.
Patient B said detailed a medical appointment during which Moore allegedly asked her if her boyfriend performed oral sex on her, then said “Oh, you’re so pure,” before telling Patient B, “If you aren’t sexually active within the next year, I will have to manually break your hymen because it’s hard for me to see.”
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One Marion General Hospital nurse identified as A.M. said she was told by fellow nurses that Moore would often have to cover his lap during vaginal deliveries to hide his erections. The same nurse also said that a person who worked at a “cellular store” told her that after she “gained access to the photographs on the cellphone, she found photographs of women’s external sexual anatomy.”
A.M. says she reported these things to risk management at Marion General Hospital but was told that the hospital could not take action and that she would not be privy to any further investigation or action as it related to Moore’s alleged erections during vaginal deliveries.
Multiple alleged victims testified against Moore during the hearing over his medical license. The doctor refused to respond to direct questions about whether he sexually assaulted his patients, and instead claimed a Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.
In March 2023, Moore’s medical license was suspended.
Moore has denied the allegations and said he is prohibited by patient confidentiality laws from discussing the specific care of any patient.
Moore became the Grant County Public Health Officer in 2019, a role in which he oversaw departments of the environment, food, nursing, emergency preparedness and vital records. At the time, he said that while he had no particular interest in public health, he took the position with the intent of addressing childhood poverty.
When asked about his role at the time, Moore acknowledged that he had what he described as a “very different” leadership style and maintained a high level of involvement.
“I tend to be obsessive-compulsive, and I want to know everything and do everything,” he said at the time.
In their medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege not only that Moore himself is liable, but also that the hospital is at fault for having knowledge of the allegations but taking no steps to prevent or report abuse.
Lawyers for the 83 plaintiffs in the medical malpractice lawsuit say that more victims are expected to sign on to the massive legislation.
Under Indiana’s Medical Malpractice Act, a doctor is liable for $250,000 in damages for any one case. In the Moore lawsuit, each act alleged by each Jane Doe would constitute a separate and distinct incident of malpractice. The lawsuit also claims that Indiana’s two-year statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is unconstitutional because women who were victimized could not have reasonably been expected to recognize the scale of Moore’s actions.
In addition to the civil lawsuit, Moore is also reportedly facing a criminal investigation, according to WXIN.
Counsel for the parties did not respond to request for comment.
You can read the petition for summary suspension of Moore’s license, via WXIN, here.
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