Dr. Mark Jackson, 59, was arrested on Wednesday in New York City
A doctor in Harlem has been accused of sexual misconduct with a female patient during a breast cancer screening.
Primary care doctor Mark Jackson, 59, was arrested and charged with forcible touching and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse on Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Prosecutors claim that Jackson placed his mouth on the patient’s breast during the cancer screening in September 2017, and then placed her hand on his penis, saying ‘See how hard you got me?’
The alleged encounter took place at Starting Point Clinic, an addiction treatment facility that offers primary healthcare.
Jackson reportedly told investigators he did nothing wrong, but he did admit to calling the patient at home later. He said it was because she had given him her number.
Jackson (above) is charged with forcible touching and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse
‘Patients place a unique trust in their medical practitioners to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism and care,’ said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance in a statement.
‘As alleged here, Mark Jackson betrayed that trust when he sexually abused a patient seeking a simple breast cancer screening.
Having attended to numerous patients over the course of his three years at this clinic, many of whom were grappling with substance use disorder, there is reason to believe there may be additional survivors of his alleged conduct,’ the prosecutor said.
Vance urged anyone who had experienced misconduct to contact the Manhattan DA’s Sex Crimes Unit at 212-335-9373.
The alleged encounter happened at the Starting Point Clinic (above) on West 124th Street
However, some of Jackson’s patients spoke out in media interviews, saying they could not imagine the doctor behaving inappropriately with patients.
‘He’s very cordial, he does an exam the way a doctor is supposed to do an exam, and then you leave. I’ve never had him do anything disrespectful towards me and I’ve been here 12 years,’ one woman told WABC.
After the alleged incident in September, Jackson was placed on unpaid leave from the clinic, and then fired in October when he tried to enter the facility without his ID card, the clinic said.
Jackson is being represented by a public defender and is being held pending cash bail of $1,500, records show. He is next due in court on Monday.