WACO, Texas -- The Temple doctor, whose Texas medical license was suspended Monday after his arrest for possession of child pornography, appeared in court Tuesday for a detention hearing in federal court.
No official decision was made Tuesday, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske said he was inclined to release Dr. John Middlemiss Palmer, 55, into a halfway house if an agreement could be reached with one. Judge Manske said he expected to have a decision by the end of the business day on Wednesday.
During court, prosecutors told the judge investigators had found roughly 425 images and several videos of child pornography. And, they still have evidence to review. Prosecutors said they had evidence Dr. Palmer possessed, viewed and received child porn, but they had no evidence he produced any.
A criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court Western District of Texas said investigators with the Office of the Attorney General's Child Exploitation Unit executed a search warrant on April 18 on Dr. Palmer's home and office at McLane Children's Hospital. Investigators seized a laptop and three external hard drives, according to the complaint. The document said one of the hard drives had multiple files showing prepubescent children engaged in sexually-explicit conduct.
The AG's office said Palmer denied any involvement with child porn.
Palmer was affiliated with Baylor Scott and White. A spokesperson confirmed he had been terminated. And, his information was scrubbed from the healthcare organization's website.