CLAREMONT –—A former Valley Regional Hospital doctor arrested last month for allegedly having a sexual relationship with his patient waived his arraignment in Claremont District Court on Monday.
Eric Knight, 50, of Derry, will move to a probable cause hearing in Newport District Court on Feb. 27.
Knight was charged with aggravated felonious sexual assault after a four-month Claremont Police Department investigation into his alleged relationship with a patient. Knight is free on $25,000 personal recognizance bail ahead of his probable cause hearing.
Affidavits used to apply for an arrest warrant detail police using cell phone records between Knight and the patient to find record of the two speaking about engaging in the alleged sexual acts. Knight is charged under RSA 632-A:2,I(g) with “acting in a manner that is not professionally recognized as ethical or acceptable for engaging in a sexual relationship with a patient” who was receiving his therapeutic care.
Allegations that arose in a Board of Medicine investigation into Knight that he may have assaulted the patient beyond the scope of RSA 632 are not addressed in the arrest warrant. Police say more charges are expected and the investigation is ongoing.
According to documents from the Board of Medicine investigation into Knight, the former doctor also allegedly prescribed the patient with high doses of narcotics. A Valley Regional internal investigation found that of the 87 patients to which Knight prescribed controlled narcotics, only two signed pain management contracts. Hospital CEO Peter Wright said in June 9 email to Knight that the “frequency of prescriptions and ‘double scripts’ is troubling.”
Board of Medicine documents regarding Wright’s finding state: “Dr. Knight’s prescribing practices among all of his patients were investigated, Mr. Wright stated that Dr. Knight was prescribing narcotic pain medication to a variety of patients, but that he was not following legal requirements and best practices, such as the consistent use of pain contract and randomized drug screens.”
Valley Regional fired Knight on June 20 after he allegedly disclosed his relationship to Wright. On Sept. 11, the board issued Knight a notice of hearing to show cause to determine whether his license to practice could be renewed. Knight’s license to practice was suspended later that month.
According to board of medicine documents, the patient said that Knight allegedly sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions in his Claremont medical office, his Sunapee residence and in the men’s locker room of Valley Regional Hospital.
“The Board finds that this case involves imminent danger to life and/or health,” the order of suspension stated. “Further, the board believes there is a reasonable basis for both immediately suspending [Knight’s] license on a temporary basis, and for commencing an expedited disciplinary proceeding against [Knight.]”
Anyone with information can contact Claremont Police Detective Capt. Stephen A. Lee at (603) 542-7010 or [email protected].
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