Leader-Telefram: Prosecution Rests Case Against Van de Loo

Leader-Telefram: Prosecution attorneys rested their case Thursday in the sexual assault trial of former Eau Claire pediatrician David Van de Loo at the Douglas County Courthouse in Superior.

Eau Claire County District Attorney Gary King and Karie Cattanach, an assistant attorney general with the state Department of Justice, spent the last seven days presenting their witnesses.

Van de Loo’s attorneys, Rich White of Eau Claire and Stephen Hurley of Madison, begin their case today with witness testimony.

Van de Loo, 61, faces 16 sexual assault-related felony charges involving 15 former juvenile male patients at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire.

Mayo fired the adolescent and sports medicine specialist on Sept. 12, 2012, after allegations of sexual assault surfaced.

Van de Loo is accused of inappropriately touching boys during medical exams.

The trial began Jan. 21, with jury selection and opening arguments.

The first prosecution witnesses, which included a victim, members of the victim’s family and two Mayo employees, testified Jan. 22.

Defense witnesses for Van de Loo are expected to be at least two experts, members of Van de Loo’s family, medical colleagues of Van de Loo’s and possibly Van de Loo himself.

The trial is expected to conclude sometime next week.

Eau Claire County Judge Michael Schumacher moved the trial from Eau Claire County to Douglas County because of pre-trial publicity and Van de Loo’s prominent status in the Eau Claire area.

Holtz can be reached at 715-833-9207, 800-236-7077 or dan.holtz@ecpc.com.