Lawyers seek more victims of KY nurse tech charged with sexually assaulting patients
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Minner Vines seeks victims, witnesses in Cardinal Hill sexual assault probe.
- Defendant Johnnie Sparkman faces first-degree rape and sodomy charges.
- Lawyers urge other victims to call 859-550-2900; no lawsuit filed yet.
A law firm is investigating allegations of sexual assault by an employee at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, and is asking victims and witnesses to come forward with information.
The law firm, Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, is representing a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by Johnnie Sparkman, 62, of Richmond, while receiving rehabilitative care after an operation. Sparkman was a nurse technician at Cardinal Hill who primarily worked in the spinal cord care area.
Sparkman is charged with first-degree sodomy and two counts of first-degree rape-incapable of consent/physically helpless after multiple women reported sexual assault allegations to police. The law firm said it believes there could be other victims or witnesses with relevant information, and is asking those people to come forward.
“We are committed to giving a voice to those who feel they have been silenced,” attorney Matt Minner, founding partner at Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, said in a news release. “Patients in healthcare facilities deserve safety, dignity, and respect. When that trust is violated, we will fight to ensure justice is served and that those responsible are held accountable.”
A lawsuit has not been filed against Sparkman or Cardinal Hill in Fayette District or Circuit Court as of Tuesday morning. In Sparkman’s criminal cases, he is accused of inappropriately touching patients while performing job duties.
Sparkman is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on a $15,000 bond for the rape charges, according to jail records. His next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary hearing Friday.
The law firm said sexual assaults in health care facilities are “grossly unreported,” estimating the rate at about 90%. The law firm can be reached at 859-550-2900.
“Our client has the capacity and the voice to come forward,” attorney Tyler Koch said in the news release. “Tragically, many victims of sexual assault in healthcare facilities lack the ability to disclose abuse, leaving them dependent on others to speak up and demand accountability.”
