DURHAM, N.C. — Dr. Andrew James Lodge, a cardiovascular surgeon, is no longer employed by Duke University after appearing in court Wednesday to face three charges of indecent exposure. Lodge was arrested after he was connected to three incidents in June.
According to warrants, Lodge was arrested for exposing himself outside two different Target stores in Durham, as well as the parking lot of Southpoint Mall.
Lodge is a nationally renowned doctor, who gained acclaim when he performed “open heart surgery” on the American Girl doll of a patient, giving the 5-year-old girl a plaything that looked more like her, down to the scars. He was also awarded the Duke Presidential Award “for distinguished service to Duke University.”
He appeared in court this morning with his defense attorney Cole Williams. The prosecutor agreed to a “deferred prosecution.”
This means if he goes through a psychiatric assessment and treatment, the court may dismiss all charges in six months … READ MORE.
US return to normality comes with post-pandemic wave of crime
GLOBAL TIMES – The COVID-19 pandemic has given birth to a nationwide crime wave that shows no signs of abating.
Experts, police officers and ordinary Americans fear that cities will once again plunge back into the wave of violent crime that characterized the early 1990s.
More than 180 people were shot dead nationwide over the July 4 holiday weekend, as major US cities continue to see a surge in violence, according to data gathered by the Gun Violence Archive, a database that tracks the latest acts of gun violence.
In Chicago, over 100 people were shot over the 4th of July weekend, reported the Chicago Sun-Times. Victims included two police officers who were wounded as they attempted to disperse crowds early Monday morning.
In Fort Worth, Texas, a mass shooting occurred on July 4, in which eight victims were shot after an argument at a car wash.
In Norfolk, Virginia, a 15-year-old boy shot four children, media reported … READ MORE.
