When you put yourself or your loved ones in the hands of a surgeon, you trust that there will be only respect and safety as their goal and job is to ensure one’s health. No one ever expects their surgeon has intent to violate them.

The Cleveland Clinic is part of our identity as Cleveland/Lakewood area. Hence why Surgeon Ryan Williams’ case is a shocking one.

Surgeon Williams case goes back ten years when two women, one being identified to be Lachelle Duncan and the other being Kristen Fehr. Their cases happened back in 2008 and 2009.

The first victim, Lachelle Duncan, said he penetrated her during an exam. She ran out in that moment and asked “why did he do it? Why did you do this?” Williams simply said, “I don’t know” (all quotations from a medical assistant’s, Patricia Bacha, interview with the Westlake Police).

They even later found semen in the exam room. Though Williams came back with the defense that the fluids came from him “relieving stress” and it wasn’t there for a crime but rather poor judgement. On that, there was a failure to yield any fluid or DNA off of Duncan that would condemn Williams.

Fehr reported Williams gave her two pills and then she reported things went hazy. It was not until years later did she make the report that she recalled seeing him exposing himself.

It has been over a decade and the cases are just coming to light. Williams currently is no longer in the Clinic, as they did not renew his contract (for reasons not considering the accusations, allegedly).

Though the statute of limitations has yet to be met, it is likely Williams will go without persecution as the rape kit was inconclusive and Fehr only has her account; an account with incomplete details due to her being drugged. Though how Williams’ career stands is in question.