Delaware Supreme Court hears arguments in appeal of convicted pedophile pediatrician

Delaware’s highest court heard arguments Wednesday in the appeal of Earl Bradley, the former pediatrician now serving 14 life sentences for child sexual abuse.

The appeal challenges the admissability of evidence that was seized  from Bradley’s downstate office complex leading up to his arrest in late 2009. 

Attorney Robert Goff, representing Bradley, told a panel of three justices that the warrant obtained by law enforcement authorities only allowed for the search for medical files related to patients.  Goff also said the warrant gave “no guidance to police officers to determine what a medical file is.” 

A flash drive connected to one of Bradley’s computers was examined by a police officer, which included videos of child sexual assaults recorded by Bradley himself.  That flash drive was obtained from a building Goff said police were not allowed  to search under the warrant. 

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

Deputy Attorney General Paul Wallace, the state justice department’s Chief of Appeals, contended that the building was a workspace of Bradley’s and qualified to be searched under the warrant.  He said the warrant was conducted in a “reasonable way,” and that the detective who encountered the flash drive took the correct action when he realized the material that was recorded. 

He “shut it down, and got another warrant,” Wallace said. 

Each attorney was given about 20 minutes to present arguments and answer questions from the court.

Bradley was not in court for Wednesday’s proceedings in Dover.  He was convicted and sentenced nearly a year ago after a one-day trial in Georgetown.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal