MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County Sheriff’s Detectives say a co-worker in Collierville is accused of sexually assaulting a patient during a hypnosis session that was supposed to help a woman quit smoking.
According to an affidavit of complaint, detectives have charged 57-year-old John O’Connell with Sexual Battery in the case.
The 36-year-old woman told investigators that she went see to Dr. John O’Connell, who she says told her he could help her stop smoking through hypnosis. She says O’Connell took her into an exam room at Lakeside Behavioral Health System in the 2900 block of Brunswick Road, Tuesday, September 15, 2009, to conduct the session.
The victim told investigators that during the session she, “felt like I was on a cloud, the picture in my mind was very pretty.”
According to the victim, she was aware of what was going on, but was not able to open her eyes or move her legs and arms. She says when the session was over, O’Connell told her not to tell anyone about it, because the hospital did not know that he was performing hypnosis.
Three days later, the woman told investigators, the doctor asked her if she was interested in trying another session. She says she told him yes, because the first session seemed to help and made cigarettes taste bad. The doctor told her he would like to perform the session at his satellite office instead of the hospital, the woman stated to investigators.
The woman says O’Connell took her to a hotel and told her it was his satellite office, because he had to stay there while on-call so that he would be close to the hospital. The woman told detectives that she trusted him like a father and believed what he said.
During the second session, the woman says she was aware of what was going on, but again she was not able to move. According to the court document, she told investigators he was saying to her, “When you wake up you will not remember this.” The woman says she could feel him take off her shoes, socks and shirt and fondle her, but couldn’t do anything about it. She told detectives that she was scared and did not know why it was happening to her.
When the session was over, the woman says she acted as if nothing had happened and then reported the incident to authorities. The affidavit states Dr. O’Connell called her on October 3rd and left a message on her cell phone saying he was sorry for the problems he had caused and wanted her to call him back.
On Friday, October 9th, O’Connell, along with his attorney, talked with detectives. He admitted to investigators that he did hypnotize the woman at his satellite office, which he says was at the Relax Inn on Canada Road. O’Connell told detectives he just wanted to help the woman stop smoking and relieve her tension headaches.
According to O’Connell, he rubbed lotion on her feet while telling her, “You do not need cigarettes, they will taste bad, don’t remember that though.”
He then told investigators that he sat behind the woman and told her he was going to lift her shirt and that she nodded as if it was okay. O’Connell says he pulled the shirt over her head and pulled her arms out of the sleeves so it was draped over her neck. He then started to massage her shoulders and back with lotion, stated O’Connell. He told investigators that he then told her, “You can take your brassiere off if you want.” To which, O’Connell says she shook her head, indicating she did not. He says he then put her shirt back over her head and woke her up from the hypnotic state.
According to the affidavit, O’Connell went on to tell detectives that he had called the woman after learning that she had filed a complaint against him. He says he left a message saying, “I am sorry for the problems I have caused you. Please call me back.”
If convicted, Dr. John O’Connell could face up to six years in prison and a possible fine.
