Chiropractor Is Found Guilty of Molesting 3 Women Patients

A chiropractor was convicted by a Van Nuys Superior Court jury Friday of sexually molesting three women patients on a treatment table in his Canoga Park office.

Ronald Burton Schain, who in 1984 and 1986 received the “Doctor of the Year” award from the San Fernando Valley Chiropractic Society, was found guilty of three felony counts of sexual battery. He was acquitted of molesting a fourth woman.

Schain, 52, was accused of rape and sexual battery against one of the victims. The jury found him not guilty of the rape charge, concluding that there was insufficient evidence on that count. Sexual battery is defined as touching with lewd intent.

Schain, who is free on $50,000 bail, was ordered to return to court Monday to set a date for his sentencing. He could receive up to 12 years in state prison.

During her closing argument to the jury, Deputy Dist. Atty. Katherine K. Mader asserted that Schain was “sexually out of control” between Oct. 31, 1985, and Jan. 31, 1986, when the incidents were reported.

Mader said Friday that she was satisfied with the outcome. “With three sexual battery convictions, he won’t be touching any women for a long, long time,” she said.

The four women testified during the four-week trial that Schain fondled them while treating them for back and neck pain.

Schain testified that the patient who maintains that he raped her enticed him to have sex with her. He said he started to go through with the act, then thought better of it and climbed off the treatment table.

He flatly denied acting lewdly with the other women. He acknowledged that he may have touched their breasts or groin areas but only as part of a legitimate massage technique to drain the lymph glands.

Defense attorney Michael Adelson described the verdict as “bittersweet,” saying he was gratified that his client was exonerated of the most serious charge but had hoped for an outright acquittal.

Schain has continued to practice but is forbidden by state licensing officials to treat women. A license revocation hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14, according to Deputy Atty. General Robert M. Bell.