They turned up evidence in County Jail, a toxicology lab and the confidential files of USCs white-shoe attorneys. Puliafito did NOT provide any methamphetamine to Dora Yoder nor was he using any, Reuben wrote. In USCs lecture halls, labs and executive offices, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito was a towering figure. Report: Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito used methamphetamine and consorted with a prostitute who overdosed during one of their trysts. She and USC did not answer several written questions from The Times, including whether the university retained copies of the photos and videos or provided them to local, state or federal authorities. Mike Davis and Gene Morse into a murky world of desperate young addicts and small-time drug dealers with a disgraced multimillionaire at the center: Dr. Carmen Puliafito, former dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine. Photos, videos emerge of drug parties with Carmen Puliafito, who chaired the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute from 2001-2007. She did not refer Puliafito for prosecution, but he did not get his medical license back. The toxicological report was similarly inconclusive. What is clear is that the totality of evidence Morse and Davis gathered prompted a prosecutor to mull an involuntary manslaughter case against Puliafito and a child neglect charge against Yoder, according to a memo by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. The Medical Board of California on Friday ordered USC's former medical school dean Dr. Carmen Puliafito stripped of his license to practice medicine, citing "an appalling lack of judgment . There was no immediate indication of abuse or neglect. The closer investigators from the L.A. County Sheriffs Departments Homicide Bureau looked, however, the more doubts they had. They have their opinion and we have our different opinion.. Puliafito's lawyer, Timothy Reuben, insisted in an email that despite the law enforcement findings, the physician "was simply a good Samaritan." "Dr. Puliafito did NOT provide any methamphetamine to Dora Yoder nor was he using any," Reuben wrote. A photo in the LA Times shows a man in a dark suit and tie, a white shirt and a serious expression. In that period, Puliafito talked three times to Franko, who was himself in and out of jail on drug-related charges, according to the testimony. When detectives heard an unfamiliar name on the recordings, they tried to track the person down. A red flag pops up, Weisberg said. When detectives went to interview Yoder again, they found Puliafitos red BMW parked outside her apartment. PRODUCTO:Nombre: Bad City: Peril and Power in the City of Angels (Libro en Ingls)Marca: Celadon BooksDESCRIPCIN:Amazon.com ReviewAn Amazon Best Book of July 2022: Race, class, and privilege intersect in this twisty tale about drugs, power, and sex. Puliafito had three Ivy League diplomas. Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., Dean of Keck School of Medicine at USC, speaks at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Saturday, October 10, 2015 in Beverly . In Bad City, Times investigative reporter Paul Pringle who led the papers efforts to scrutinize Puliafito and USC dissects how the university and several of The Times top editors, now no longer at the paper, allegedly fell from grace together. Puliafito didnt call 911. The Times could not determine whether USC retained copies of the images and other material. [3] He completed a residency in ophthalmology and a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. The Medical Board of . Rosenfeld PJ, Moshfegi AA, Puliafito CA. The secret double life of former USC dean Dr. Carmen Puliafito - a tale involving drugs, prostitution and alleged extortion - is detailed through photos and interview transcripts. For Dr. Carmen Puliafito and a group of younger . To stay on top of the voluminous calls in the Yoder case, Davis took to playing the jail recordings in his car as he drove home. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. She said she immediately called Ariel Franko, the childs father. Carmen Puliafito resigned in March 2016 as dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Determining the cause and manner of death is a matter of professional judgment, he said. UC Hastings law professor Richard Zitrin had helped draft legislation limiting the use of gag orders and other types of secrecy in legal settlements. Managing Editor Marc Duvoisin and publisher and Editor-in-Chief Davan Maharaj were fired in 2017. Dr. Carmen Puliafito was once among Boston's most prominent physicians, building a clinic from scratch before leaving more than a decade ago for prestigious roles in Miami and then in Los Angeles. Right Now. So many staffers wanted to talk to HR about the two men that interviews with them had to be scheduled on weekends and evenings, according to Bad City.. The temperature outside had dipped to 55 degrees; she said the heater inside the apartment wasnt working, and it felt like the air conditioner was on instead, according to the investigators report. Eventually he emailed the Pasadena city attorney. An LA Times piece alleges that Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, founding director of the New England Eye Center at Tufts Medical School, led a double life while dean of USC's Keck School of Medicine. Its possible, he said, that I thought that the information we had was not robust enough to support something as assertive as that. Clockwise from top left: reporters Harriet Ryan, Adam Elmahrek, Sarah Parvini and Matt Hamilton. Youre basically taking the evidence away from the victims, Jackson said. The agreement was negotiated while L.A. County sheriffs detectives were investigating the October 2017 death of a newborn whose mother had a relationship with Puliafito. Buffalo, NY . In early 2017, she turned to him after discovering she was pregnant, and he paid for her detox program, according to medical board filings. Matt Hamilton is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Without that, the prosecutor and the detectives concluded they could not take the investigation further. Her sister, Miriam Jones, said Dist. Editors are supposed to make certain that reporters knock on those doors if all other attempts to reach the subject failed., Duvoisin said he thought Pringles efforts to contact Nikias were a bit over the top and verging on harassment. But, he said, I did not try to prevent him., Pringle countered that characterization: It could not be more routine to knock on the door of the subject of a story when that person does not respond to phone calls, emails and other attempts to engage him., He said he would expect to be disciplined by an editor if I failed to do that on a story of such importance., When Pringle went to Nikias house, the university president wasnt there. July 24, 2017. Aug 31, 2017 at 8:45 pm. Her landlord said Puliafito continued to pay the rent at the Altadena apartment and was a frequent visitor there. Harriet Ryan is an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Discolorations on the babys chest and face also cast doubt on Yoders version of events, four experts said. And her brother, for whom Puliafito also allegedly provided drugs when he was underage. Federal grand juries in L.A., for example, indicted three men last year on charges of providing the drugs that killed rapper Mac Miller and charged activist Ed Buck in two overdose deaths. Jail authorities recorded inmate calls, though getting incriminating information was generally a long shot, since every call included an automated warning that conversations were taped. The death of a newborn named Boaz Yoder in an Altadena apartment seemed at first glance like a case of sudden infant death syndrome. L.A. Times Editor-in-Chief Davan Maharaj, left, and Managing Editor Marc Duvoisin, who were fired in 2017, have vociferously denied the claims in the new book Bad City.. Several of those photos show Puliafito with Yoder, including in a Las Vegas hotel room with a meth pipe and butane torch in the foreground. It also was when two high-level editors then at The Times were accused of trying to stop the papers own reporting team from covering the USC scandal. Managing Editor Marc Duvoisin and publisher and Editor-in-Chief Davan Maharaj were . That was like saying we couldnt publish a story on the occurrence of a crime without first solving it., And that, he wrote, made him realize what was happening: Nikias was essentially in charge of the story. We had no information on that, Davis said. [7], In March 2016, Puliafito resigned as dean of the Keck School of Medicine, and USC professor Rohit Varma was appointed interim dean. He perjured himself on the stand here today., a state prosecutor representing the medical board. My daughters been known to do drugs, and shes involved with a doctor thats also been known to do drugs, Menno Yoder told a deputy on Aug. 30, 2016, according to a recording of the call. In 2017, the Los Angeles Times revealed that Puliafito had engaged in parties with young recreational drug users and prostitutes, including at the Keck School's offices, and that Puliafito had smoked methamphetamine at . One of Yoders sisters later met with detectives. It was scheduled for publication. Tyndall was born and raised in Plattsburgh, New York as one of five children. Because physical evidence of asphyxiation is often absent, it is common to rely on circumstantial evidence, including witness accounts, to arrive at a conclusion. A photo time-stamped 3 a.m. shows a convicted drug dealer named Kyle Voigt and Warren in Puliafitos office at Keck. Afterward, she changed her conclusions. The university had long refused to make the report public, but detectives obtained a warrant and, eventually, some of the report. This cookie collect user interaction data like clicks and impressions pseudonymously. When she could not see breaths, he advised her to call 911, the report said. In a recent interview, Duvoisin said he does not remember wanting to strip the first version of the story Pringle handed in of the investigation label. Paul Pringle is a Los Angeles Times reporter who specializes in investigating corruption. Puliafito denied an ongoing relationship with Voigt and said he had never heard of the women. The Times story on the management changes said the two men were fired in a dramatic shake-up. The company also terminated a deputy managing editor; an assistant managing editor; reporter Jill Leovy, who is Duvoisins wife; and Maharajs executive assistant. Until now. Tronc, which owned The Times then, stated publicly that they were terminated as part of a management restructuring and there was no conflict of interest between the two men and USC. Thats when a young drug addict overdosed on crystal meth and GHB in a Pasadena hotel room while partying with Dr. Carmen Puliafito, dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine. Sarah Warren and her family left Southern California and moved to Texas. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, After a baby suddenly dies, a 911 call from USCs former medical school dean sparks detectives interest, An overdose, a young companion, drug-fueled parties: The secret life of a USC med school dean, USC gave nearly $1 million to medical school dean linked to drugs, Full Coverage: The secret life of former USC med school dean Carmen Puliafito, Former USC medical school dean used hard drugs while employed at university, attorney says, Must Reads: State strips ex-USC medical school dean of license, citing an appalling lack of judgment, Feds add more charges against Ed Buck, including drug distribution and enticing prostitution, Three men charged with providing drugs that killed rapper Mac Miller, Prosecutors sought 33 years to life, but Mongols biker who killed cop may be freed by March, Disneyland cast members laughed before disabled woman was injured on ride, lawsuit alleges, Five ways you can use Shape Your L.A., The Times civic engagement tool, Plane crash near Modesto airport leaves one dead. He resigned as dean of a California medical school . Carmen Puliafito is shown on the first day of a 2018 state medical board trial where he said he'd completely rehabilitated from drug use. The double life of ex-USC med school dean who did 'meth and ecstasy, partied with criminals and abruptly quit his job after prostitute, 21, overdosed on meth in his hotel room'. According to Bad City, she began waiting tables and hoped to go to college. Tulare sheriff said a drug cartel, then backtracks, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, California vs. Florida: A tale of two Americas, Prosecutors sought 33 years to life, but Mongols biker who killed cop may be freed by March, Disneyland cast members laughed before disabled woman was injured on ride, lawsuit alleges, Five ways you can use Shape Your L.A., The Times civic engagement tool, Plane crash near Modesto airport leaves one dead, Essay: Martin Luther King Day should make you uncomfortable. On 01/27/2016 JANET H PINE filed a Family - Marriage Dissolution/Divorce lawsuit against CARMEN A PULIAFITO. Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine with our moderator Dr. Carmen Puliafito Watch Now Panelists Jay S. Duker MD, Moderator Carmen Puliafito MD, MBA Interview Spotlight on Dr. Thomas Ciulla of Clearside Biomedical . The article says Buffalo native Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, who was the Dean of the Keck School of Medicine, used methamphetamine and other drugs with criminals during . And in 2017, USC fired its former medical school dean Carmen Puliafito, after a Los Angeles Times investigation documented not only his alleged heavy drug use but also his alleged enabling of other addicts with whom he socialized.. Flynn is contesting the charges. Hatami wrote in a June 23 memo: After a thorough investigation and consultation with medical experts there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the victim died as a result of a crime by either suspect., No one appears to have informed Puliafito, Yoder or her family about the decision not to prosecute. Optical coherence tomography findings after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (Avastin) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Bad City contends that the actions Duvoisin and Maharaj took to stymie the USC investigation went against the most basic tenets of journalism and tarnished the news organizations credibility at a time of rampant distrust of the media. This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts, Stanley Mosk Courthouse located in Los Angeles, California. A disgraced medical school dean at the University of Southern California used methamphetamine while working at the school but only because his mental illness . He cautioned that his opinion was based on the written report, not the photos of the injury. In USCs lecture halls, labs and executive offices, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito was a towering figure. Szymanski, who now works at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, declined to discuss her work. The chief investigator in the medical board inquiry refused to sign Burnleys memo, according to an email exchange between the prosecutor and the state attorney generals office that The Times recently obtained under the California Public Records Act. At its heart, it is the story of a whistleblower and a newsroom trying to do the right thing against great odds. Because Puliafito is a public figure, Caplan said, he would have to prove Sampath wrote with actual . One bill to which he contributed outlawed secrecy pacts in sexual abuse cases. Six months after Dr. Carmen Puliafito stepped down as dean of USC's medical school, he was called by the university to give sworn testimony as a witness in a lawsuit the institution was facing. Yoder had grown up Amish and did not have a college degree. . From 2001 to 2007 he was director of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A report, left, filled out by an investigator at the scene of Boaz Yoders death on Oct. 5, 2017, shows shading on a diagram of the infants body, which represents discolorations on the babys chest and face from, (Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner). But Davis and Morse requested access to calls placed from jail to the cellphone numbers of Puliafito, Yoder and the babys father, Franko, anyway. Franko, a felon described in a police report that year as a daily user of methamphetamine and heroin, lived about 20 miles away in Sherman Oaks with his parents. Yet he continued to serve on the medical school's faculty. @ 34.122958, -118.142384. Puliafito also did not respond to The Times requests for an interview about the settlement. Video of Dr. Carmen Puliafito, then-dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, in September 2015. Puliafito was fired by the university shortly after the investigation was published. As they approached, the doctor spotted them and left, Davis said. Mark Burnley wrote in the document, known as a charge evaluation worksheet, that the current state of the case does not establish sufficient evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.. The man who called for an ambulance at an Altadena apartment last fall had the calm and direct manner of one familiar with healthcare emergencies. Among the images The Times reviewed was a video of Puliafito inhaling from a large methamphetamine pipe. Nikias was ousted as president of USC after the Tyndall scandal, although he remained a professor. Carmen A. Puliafito (Photo by Tonya Wise/Invision/AP) One of the most damning accusations was that USC staff knew of Puliafito's behavior. [6] While dean, he served on the board of the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Nor had an editor ever required that I get clearance to do so. Prosecutors elsewhere have gone after parents in the deaths of babies that were blamed on drugs. Maria L. La Ganga is city editor for the Los Angeles Times. Three days before publication, the book said, he deleted all but one reference to Puliafito supplying drugs to others. Experts in civil and criminal law said it can be risky to destroy original videos, photos and other material amid an ongoing inquiry, depending on the intent of those signing the agreement. In the case of the newborn, Boaz Yoder, Puliafito paid the rent on Dora Yoders Altadena duplex, where the baby died. In emails between them that were reviewed by The Times, he wrote that he loved her, and she described his interest in helping her as sexy. He was a regular presence at her home. He gave a note on Times letterhead to Nikias wife. He called The Times but was too terrified to leave a message. In "Bad City," Times investigative reporter Paul Pringle who led the paper's efforts to scrutinize Puliafito and USC dissects how the university and several of The Times' top editors, now no longer at the paper, allegedly fell from grace together. . (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) She offered her family a timeline, and it differed in one way from the one shed outlined to police: She said she found Boaz dead at 6 a.m., not 7:29 a.m., leaving an unexplained hour-and-a-half window before Puliafitos 911 call. They said that although they did not see evidence of foul play in reviewing the babys autopsy, they also did not see conclusive evidence of an accident and disagreed with the decision to classify the death that way. Puliafito also did not refer Puliafito for prosecution, but detectives obtained a warrant,... 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