PHARMACIST STEVE

Panama City doctor arrested on sexual battery charges

PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A Panama City doctor has been arrested on charges of sexual battery.

Dr. Bryce Jackson, an OB/GYN, was arrested by Panama City Police early Thursday morning.

According to a news release from Panama City Police, “During the early morning hours of November 3, 2016 the Panama City Police Department responded to a report of a sexual battery. During the investigation, the adult female victim disclosed to Detectives that she had approached Dr. Bryce Jackson in an effort to seek help, after seeing him in the parking lot of his office.

“The victim further explained that during the ensuing encounter with Dr. Jackson, she was sexually battered within his office at 1937 Harrison Avenue, in Panama City. Based on the information provided, Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on the property, known as the North Florida Medical Plaza, in an effort to obtain physical evidence of the reported crime.”

Jackson had his first appearance Thursday before a Bay County judge. His bond was set at $30,000. When reached by phone, Jackson’s attorney, Waylon Graham, told WJHG/WECP “Dr. Jackson is pleading not guilty to these heinous, atrocious accusations. He and I both look forward to our day in court.”

Jackson was arrested by Panama City Police on drug charges November 29, 2015. Police pulled Jackson over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in downtown Panama City. Police searched Jackson’s car and found what they thought was crack cocaine on the car’s floorboard. A Bay County Sheriff’s Office K9 alerted on an odor and the substance field tested positive for cocaine. Jackson was arrested and charged with cocaine possession.

However, a report from Florida Department of Law Enforcement cleared Jackson of possession of a controlled substance in February of 2016 and the state dropped the case. Graham told WJHG/WECP back in February he thought it was a case of police being over anxious in searching for drugs.

“Often times they see something that may look suspicious and instead of looking at the big picture and giving everybody a fair shake they tend to jump to conclusions, make up their mind before having all of the evidence and that can lead to a result like this,” said Graham. (LINK) — 11/03/2016

In other news…

FDLE report clears Panama City OB/GYN of drug charges

PANAMA CITY, Fla (WJHG/WECP) – A Panama City doctor who has maintained his innocence since being arrested in November on possession of cocaine charges, has been exonerated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Dr. Bryce Jackson, a Panama City OBGYN, has been cleared on charges of possession of cocaine. An FDLE report says whatever it was that police found in Jackson’s car when he was arrested wasn’t cocaine or anything illegal.

The state dropped its case against Dr. Bryce Jackson on Wednesday. In paperwork obtained by WJHG/WECP, the state indicated a lab report from FDLE found nothing illegal about what police identified as crack cocaine.

“The lab report indicated no controlled substances per FL statutes. Therefore, the State will be unable to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the State Attorney’s Office announced a Nolle Prosequi in this case,” said the paperwork which was filed by prosecutors Wednesday morning.

A Nolle Prosequi means the charges have been dropped.

“Dr. Jackson was adamant that he hadn’t done anything wrong, and he did not have drugs in his car,” said Jackson’s attorney Waylon Graham, “And when he retained me he had the same attitude. So I sent him to the lab and we did some lab work on his urine, and his blood and his hair and we found absolutely no drugs in his system.”

This started back on the night of November 29, 2015. Police pulled Jackson over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in downtown Panama City. Police searched Jackson’s car and found what they thought was crack cocaine on the car’s floorboard. A Bay County Sheriff’s Office K9 alerted on an odor and the substance field tested positive for cocaine. Jackson was arrested and charged with cocaine possession.

Graham said he thinks the police were being aggressive in their search for drugs.

“Often times they see something that may look suspicious and instead of looking at the big picture and giving everybody a fair shake they tend to jump to conclusions, make up their mind before having all of the evidence and that can lead to a result like this,” said Graham.

We reached out to Panama City Police for a comment. Lt. Mark Laramore declined to do an on-camera interview but did say the police department believes it made the correct choice and charges at the time and invite anyone with questions on the matter to reach out to them.

Jackson is an OB/GYN at North Florida Obstetrics and Gynecological Center in the North Florida Medical Plaza on Harrison Avenue in Panama City.

Graham said the false accusation has destroyed Jackson’s business over the last three months.

“This is a good example for me and other lawyers and prosecutors. It’s a reminder that not everybody arrested is truly guilty,” said Graham.

We’re told that Jackson has retained a civil attorney and is mulling over his options about whether to file a civil suit against Panama City Police. (LINK) — 2/10/2016

Filed under: General Problems