Psychiatrist Temporarily Barred From Practicing

An Orange County judge has temporarily suspended the medical practice of Dr. James Harrington White, the consulting psychiatrist for a Sierra Nevada youth camp that sponsored the outing on which seven people drowned in Convict Lake earlier this year.

Superior Court Judge Eileen Moore issued the temporary restraining order Friday at the request of the state attorney general’s office. The judge made her decision after viewing sexually explicit videotapes of the Newport Beach psychiatrist and an adult patient.

The order is in effect until May 1, when the judge will consider extending the suspension of White’s license pending the outcome of a California Medical Board hearing on whether to suspend or revoke his license.

White, 47, who has a private practice in Newport Beach, was arrested March 15 at his Newport Beach office on charges of sexually abusing a 29-year-old male patient. The patient alleged to Newport Beach police that White drugged him with prescription medicine and then performed oral sex on him.

The alleged sexual acts were depicted in a 20-minute videotape that police had seized from the doctor, according to state officials.

White, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges of sexual abuse, on Monday deferred comment to his attorney, Timothy J. Stafford of Santa Ana. Stafford declined comment.

Newport Beach police seized the photographic evidence in simultaneous raids the day of White’s arrest at his Newport Beach clinic, his Corona del Mar home, and his other residences in Palm Desert and Mammoth Lakes.

Judge Moore said Monday that she viewed two videotapes after ordering her courtroom doors locked at the request of White’s attorney. In her order, she said the videotapes supported the state’s contention that White’s continued practice of medicine “endangered” the public welfare.

White is free on $200,000 bond pending disposition of the criminal case. On March 20, Harbor Municipal Judge Christopher W. Strople reduced White’s bond from $500,000 but barred him from practicing medicine while the case was being decided. About a week later, however, Strople lifted the order with the stipulation that White practice under supervision of another psychiatrist.

After the criminal charges were filed, the California Medical Board opened an investigation into whether White had violated terms of his medical license by engaging in sexual misconduct.

The state attorney general’s office--representing the California Medical Board--last week took action in Orange County Superior Court to prevent White from practicing medicine until the board completes its review.

At the time of his arrest, White was consulting psychiatrist and a member of the faculty’s board of directors at Camp O’Neal, a private facility for delinquent and troubled youngsters. During a Feb. 19 outing at Convict Lake, three teen-agers and two camp counselors fell through the ice and drowned in Convict Lake. Two other men who tried to rescue them also fell through the ice and drowned.

State social services officials suspended the camp’s license on March 16, accusing the operators of repeatedly violating care and treatment regulations and failing to properly supervise the three youths who drowned.