| For Immediate Release Case # 11NF1378
February 20, 2013 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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ANESTHESIOLOGIST SENTENCED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING THREE UNCONSCIOUS FEMALE PATIENTS
SANTA ANA – An anesthesiologist was sentenced today for sexually assaulting three female patients while they were unconscious. Yashwant Balgiri Giri, 60, Cypress, pleaded guilty to a court offer to one felony count of sexual battery on an institutionalized victim for Jane Doe #1, one felony count each of sexual penetration by foreign object of an unconscious victim and sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor for Jane Doe #2, and one felony count of sexual battery by fraud, one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object of an unconscious victim, and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery for Jane Doe #3. The Honorable Robert Fitzgerald sentenced the defendant to 180 days in jail, five years of formal probation, and lifetime sex offender registration. As a result of the conviction, Giri’s medical license will be revoked.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) objected to the sentence, advocating for a state prison sentence. The People argued that Giri violated his position of power and trust and sexually assaulted his victims when they were unconscious and extremely vulnerable.
At the time of the crime, Giri was an anesthesiologist at the Placentia-Linda Hospital. Giri has worked at other hospitals in Southern California including Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Anaheim Regional Medical Center, West Anaheim Medical Center, and Western Medical Center, Anaheim.
In February 2009, Giri administered anesthesia to 16-year-old Jane Doe #2 while she was unconscious from medication. He digitally penetrated the victim while a scrub nurse was preparing the surgery tools with her back turned. The nurse witnessed the sexual assault and immediately reported the incident to a director at the Placentia-Linda Hospital. The hospital failed to report the incident to police at that time.
In March 2011, Giri fondled the breasts of 36-year-old Jane Doe #1 while she was unconscious under anesthesia during an outpatient surgery procedure. A hospital employee, who had looked into the operating room window to see how the surgery was progressing, witnessed Giri fondling the victim’s breast continuously while the procedure was taking place. Giri fondled the victim’s breasts for an extended period of time while a tarp concealed him from the surgeon and nurse who were working near the victim’s legs. The hospital employee reported the sexual assault to a hospital director and the Placentia Police Department (PPD) was contacted.
Shortly after PPD began their investigation, Giri resigned. During the investigation into the sexual assault of Jane Doe #1, PPD learned of the unreported sexual assault of Jane Doe #2 a year earlier.
Giri was charged with the sexual assaults of Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 and was arrested May 5, 2011. The OCDA notified the media and public by issuing a press release on this case. As a result of the media coverage, Jane Doe #3 came forward to report that she had been sexually assaulted by the defendant.