Delaware pedophile pediatrician verdict coming Thursday

Two weeks after Earl Bradley’s one-day trial in Sussex County, Judge William Carpenter Jr.’s office announced a verdict will be rendered Thursday at 3 p.m. in Georgetown.

The former Lewes pediatrician faces 24 counts of Rape, Assault and Sexual Exploitation of a Child. Bradley’s accused of sexually abusing dozens of his young patients.

Last month, Bradley waived his right to a jury trial. During the June 7th bench trial, Bradley’s defense team presented no evidence, witnesses or questions for the state’s witnesses, who testified contested video tapes show Bradley raping and abusing his patients, the majority of whom were toddlers at the time. A gag order issued before the trial remains in effect.

“All the evidence seems to point towards Dr. Bradley’s guilt. It’s highly probable a judge will find him guilty,” said Widener Law Professor Tom Reed.

However, Reed warns the case is far from over as the defense is already looking ahead to the appeal level, when it will challenge the admissibility of those tapes seized from Bradley’s office in Lewes at the time of his arrest in December 2009. The defense claims Delaware State Police did not have a proper search warrant when they seized the tapes.

“The Delaware Supreme Court will certainly have an opportunity to review that, which could result in a new trial with an entirely different defense strategy if the tapes can be suppressed,” said Reed.

Attorney General Beau Biden attended Bradley’s trial earlier this month, and is expected to show up at the Sussex County Courthouse again for Thursday’s ruling.