Published: 2009-09-10 22:47:53
Author: Douglas B. Brill | Nazareth Area News | August 14, 2009
Northampton County prosecutors today dropped indecent assault and harassment charges against Bath chiropractor and Nazareth Area School Board member John Marino because the women who claimed he molested them waited too long to alert authorities.
Four women claimed Marino, 48, molested them between 2004 and 2006, but Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Pat Broscious said during a preliminary hearing this morning that the statute of limitations on their claims had expired between 2006 and 2008. She told District Judge John Capobianco in Nazareth she wanted to withdraw the charges.
After Marino was charged criminally April 29, state officials suspended his license. The Pennsylvania Department of State restored his license July 2 after a hearing in Harrisburg. Officials said two of the patients failed to admit during that hearing that Marino molested them, one did not testify and the hearing examiner found the fourth woman's testimony was not credible.
Marino did not comment immediately after today's hearing.
Defense attorney Allan Sodomsky said the woman filed charges against Marino one month after Marino sued former business partner John Rafetto at Twin Rivers Podiatry, with whom one of the complainants is associated.Full story