Thomas Edward Radecki(born 1946)[1]is an American former psychiatrist, founding member of the National Coalition on Television Violence, and convicted criminal. He is known for his controversial views on the effects of portrayals of violence on teens and his opposition to depictions of violence in any form. He was later convicted of abusing his position as a doctor to commit sexual offenses; he was accused of trading prescription of opioids in exchange for sex with female patients. He is serving an 11- to 22-year prison sentence.
Thomas Radecki | |
|---|---|
 Radecki in 1985 | |
| Born | 1946 (age 77–78) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | psychiatrist |
| Known for | Criminal activity, opposition to portrayals of violence |
Education
editHe attendedOhio State College of Medicine,class of 1973,[2]where he received hisMD.Hispostgraduate educationwas done at thePhiladelphia General Hospitaland theHospital of the University of Pennsylvania.[1]
He received hisJuris Doctordegree after studies at theOklahoma City University School of Law(1995-1996), and theSouthern Illinois University School of Law(1996-1998).
Career
editHe was licensed to practice as a doctor in West Virginia (1977-1979) and Kentucky.[1]
In 1985 Radecki cited a fictitious letter written by a character in the novelMazes and Monstersas "proof" that the gameDungeons & Dragonshad caused the death of gamers.[3]Radecki said in 1987 that "There is no doubt in my mind that the gameDungeons and Dragonsis causing young men to kill themselves and others. "[4]In 1987 he testified as an expert on the effects ofDungeons & Dragonson behalf ofDarren Molitor(convicted of murder in 1985) at an appeal, along withPatricia Pulling.The court rejected his testimony.[5]He also testified in at least 12 other cases, all unsuccessfully.[citation needed]
It later emerged that his claims of being on the faculty of theUniversity of Illinois College of Medicinewere based solely in being listed as "clinical faculty" (signifying that he was accredited to practice at ateaching hospital). He continued to claim this faculty status for years after accreditation was removed in 1985.[6]
In March 1992, the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation revoked his medical license for a five-year minimum as a result of "allegations of inappropriate sexual activity by Dr. Radecki with one of his female patients.".[7]
Radecki resigned from NCTV, turning it over to a colleague,Carole Lieberman.His request for early reinstatement of his license was rejected, following complaints about his Surrogate Parenting Institute, afertility clinic.His license was restored in 2002,[8]and he was placed on probation, which ended in 2008.[9]
He was also research director for the International Coalition Against Violent Entertainment, which published a 1988 study of films and the level of violence therein,[10]as well as a board member of theParents Music Resource Center.[11]
He has advocated for the use ofTramadolas a replacement ofSuboxone.[12]
In September 2012, Radecki voluntarily surrendered his Pennsylvania medical license while facing allegations of unprofessional conduct with patients. These allegations included that Radecki traded drugs to patients for sex.[13]
In August 2013,Pennsylvania Attorney GeneralKathleen Kaneannounced Radecki's arrest for over-prescribing, trading opioid-addiction treatment drugs for sex[14]through a program he ran in several counties called "Doctors & Lawyers for a Drug Free Youth".[15]In June 2016, he was sentenced to an 11- to 22-year prison term as a result of the case.[16]In February 2018, a judge rejected a request that his sentence be reduced because of his age and because of what Radecki claimed was improperly introduced evidence in his case.[15]
Articles
edit- Thomas E. Radecki, "Violent Behavior Images Diet of Media Violence",Social Alternatives,May 1987, pp. 8–21
- Radecki, Thomas E.; C. Dianne Zdunich (Winter 1993)."Tobacco Sales to Minors in 97 US and Canadian Communities".Tobacco Control.2(4): 300–305.doi:10.1136/tc.2.4.300.JSTOR20206915.PMC1759291.
- Radecki, Thomas E. (1994). "The sales of lottery tickets to minors in Illinois".Journal of Gambling Studies.10(3): 213–218.doi:10.1007/BF02104963.PMID24234919.S2CID8373793.
- DiFranza, Joseph R.; Peck, Richard M.; Radecki, Thomas E.; Savageau, Judith A. (February 2001). "What Is the Potential Cost-Effectiveness of Enforcing a Prohibition on the Sale of Tobacco to Minors?".Preventive Medicine.32(2): 168–174.doi:10.1006/pmed.2000.0795.PMID11162343.
- Radecki, T. E (9 July 2005)."Calcium and vitamin D in preventing fractures: Vitamin K supplementation has powerful effect".BMJ.331(7508): 108.doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7508.108.PMC558626.PMID16002893.
References
edit- ^abc"West Virginia Board of Medicine Licensee Search".Archived fromthe originalon 28 January 2015.
- ^"Thomas E Radecki, MD".Vitals.com.Archivedfrom the original on 8 February 2013.Retrieved18 May2012.
- ^Hicks, Robert D.In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the OccultAmherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1991; p. 288
- ^Witwer, Michael (2015).Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons.Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 150.ISBN9781632862044.
- ^"FindACase - 03/31/87 State Missouri v. Darren Molitor".mo.findacase.com.Archivedfrom the original on 29 April 2014.Retrieved18 May2012.
- ^Joseph Laycock (12 February 2015).Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic Over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds.Univ of California Press. p. 135.ISBN978-0-520-28491-3.
- ^"Down the Tubes".Entertainment Weekly.No. 150–151. 25 December 1992. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009.Retrieved11 July2022.
{{cite magazine}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^Tony Sanders (May 2002)."Illinois Department of Professional Regulation Disciplinary Report for May 2002"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 November 2012.Retrieved18 May2012.
Thomas E. Radecki, Decatur – medical (036-059814) and controlled substance licenses restored and placed on indefinite probation.
- ^"Information found on: Thomas E Radecki MD, 36059814, Clarion, PA".State of Illinois: Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.Archivedfrom the original on 16 May 2012.Retrieved18 May2012.
- ^Rose Dyson."Violence In The Media".Peace Magazine.5(Dec 1989–Jan 1990, number 6): 12.Archivedfrom the original on 29 October 2013.Retrieved24 October2013.
- ^"Radecki, Thomas".The Gaming Advocacy Encyclopedia.The Escapist.Archivedfrom the original on 8 December 2013.Retrieved24 October2013.
- ^Brunk, Doug (February 2008)."Tramadol appears to stem abuse of opiates".Clinical Psychiatry News.Coronado, Calif.Retrieved18 May2012.
- ^"Local doctor accused of exchanging drugs for sex permanently surrenders medical license".WJAC.27 September 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 1 October 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.
- ^"Attorney General Kane announces arrest of Pa. psychiatrist for over-prescribing, trading opioid-addiction treatment drugs for sex".Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2013.Retrieved14 October2013.
- ^abMiller, Matt (22 February 2018)."Psychiatrist convicted in drugs-for-sex scheme isn't too old for prison, Pa. court says".pennlive.Archivedfrom the original on 9 July 2018.Retrieved9 July2018.
- ^Weidenboerner, Katie."Clarion doctor sentenced to over one decade in prison for cash & sex for scripts scheme".thecourierexpress.com.Archivedfrom the original on 4 November 2017.Retrieved3 June2016.