More Women Sue Hopkins Over Ob-Gyn

BALTIMORE (CN) - Two more patients claim in court that a Johns Hopkins gynecologist secretly videotaped their pelvic exams, then killed himself when he was found out.

The women filed nearly identical complaints against The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, in Baltimore City Court.

The late Nikita Levy was an obstetrician and gynecologist at Johns Hopkins for almost 25 years. The hospital fired him in February, and told police he had secretly recorded or photographed patients during exams. Three women sued Hopkins in March, in a class action.

In the new lawsuits, "It is alleged that on or about Feb. 4, 2013, the defendant, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, reported to Baltimore City Police that Dr. Levy had been secretly videotaping and/or photographing his patients and possibly others, and storing those images electronically. It is alleged that the defendant was also guilty of boundary violations during his treatment of the plaintiff.

"It is alleged that a subsequent investigation by the Baltimore City Police Department and a search of Dr. Levy's home in Towson, Maryland, revealed an 'extraordinary amount' of evidence, including, but not limited to, multiple servers for storage of electronic and digital data."

Levy is called a defendant in the body of the complaints, but not in the headers.

Baltimore County Police found him dead in his home on Feb. 18.

The Baltimore Sun reported that Levy, 54, used a pen camera and other devices to secretly record patients, citing a colleague who reported him to Johns Hopkins.

The new plaintiffs claim the hospital knew or should have known about Levy's misconduct, but failed to supervise, stop and report him to authorities, and to ensure patients' safety and privacy.

They say they suffered severe emotional distress, pain and anxiety.

They seek compensatory and punitive damages for negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, battery, negligent entrustment and lack of informed consent.

They are represented by Ryan Burke.

While Johns Hopkins said it could not comment directly on the case, spokeswoman Kim Hoppe emphasized "that one individual does not define Johns Hopkins."

"Johns Hopkins is defined by the tens of thousands of employees who come to work determined to provide world-class care for our patients and their families," Hoppe said in an email. "We remain stunned that a member of our ranks would violate doctor-patient trust in this manner."

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