McDonnell v. Commission on Medical Discipline

MURPHY, Chief Judge.

The question presented in this medical disciplinary case is whether a physician’s attempt to intimidate adverse witnesses scheduled to testify against him at a medical malpractice trial constitutes “[ijmmoral conduct of a physician in his practice as a physician” in violation of Maryland Code (1957, 1980 Repl.Vol.), Article 43, § 130(h)(8).

I

In 1975, Dr. Edmond J. McDonnell, a Maryland orthopedic surgeon, was sued for medical malpractice by Alvin Meyer, a former patient. Shortly before trial, which was scheduled for May 9, 1977, Meyer retained Drs. Robert Nystrom and Frank…