Army Major Blaine McGraw pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to all charges involving allegations that he sexually abused patients and recorded medical exams without consent, according to a report published August 12.
Military Judge Col. Javier Rivera Rosario presided over the 30-minute arraignment hearing at the Maj. Gen. Lawrence Williams Judicial Center. McGraw, 48, deferred his decision on whether to be tried by a judge or a jury.
McGraw faces nine charges with 272 specifications of alleged crimes occurring between 2021 and 2026. The accusations involve 93 women while McGraw served as an OB-GYN at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii and Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood.
Prosecutors allege many of the sexual misconduct allegations stem from breast exams that were not medically necessary but performed for his own gratification. McGraw has been suspended from providing care and was placed in pretrial confinement at Bell County Jail in December.
His attorney, Daniel Conway, stated that the procedures alleged in the case were medically appropriate. Conway described McGraw as a dedicated physician and infantry officer and noted that 91 of the charges against him are duplicated.
The charges against McGraw include specifications of abusive sexual contact, sexual assault, indecent recording, and assault consummated by battery. Other specifications include attempted sexual assault, attempted subornation of perjury, solicitation to commit perjury, conduct unbecoming an officer, extramarital sexual misconduct, willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, and dereliction of duty.
During the hearing, McGraw's attorney Maj. ReAnne Wentz questioned Col. Rivera Rosario regarding any potential prior knowledge of the case. The judge stated he remembered seeing news reports about the case but did not remember the specifics.
The judge has not yet scheduled future hearings or the trial, though he noted the case is expected to involve a voluminous amount of evidence from both sides.
