Steger issues statement on Cho's medical records

Friday, July, 24, 2009; 8:31 AM | 48 | | Print

The memo states that an extensive search was conducted by Virginia State Police in an attempt to find the missing record in the aftermath of the shootings, but the documents were not found at that time.

Miller told the university that he thinks the records were removed when he left the center, more than a year prior to the shootings. He is listed as a defendant on the civil suit.

The suit specifically refers to Miller and Cook Counseling Center, saying Miller "was specifically notified by Dr. Gerard Kowalski, the Director of Residence Life, that Mr. Cho, 'who had a history of erratic behavior and counseling based issues over the course of the semester' and 'had expressed suicidal ideations' and 'had previously had 'blades' in his room' was detained at the New River Valley Medical Center for further examination/counseling."

The suit goes on to allege Cho's December 14, 2005 visit to the center should have been handled differently, saying "Mr. Cho was seen for 45 minutes by a therapist who was provided no history of his prior contacts with the Cook Counseling Center, no history of Dr. Roy's request for intervention, no history of his adjudication as one mentally ill who posed a risk of harm to himself and others, no history of his violent writings and no history of his erratic behavior."

Robert Hall, a lawyer representing the Pryde and Peterson families in the civil case, said the discovery of the records "raises far more questions than it answers."

Hall said Miller's possession of the records was questionable.

"Why would you take any records?" Hall said. "And why, particularly this kid, to your home?"

Hall also took interest in the wording of the memo, which said Miller transferred from the center.

"We were always told he'd been director for a while and decided he wanted to do other things," Hall said.

He said the word "transfer" raises questions about continued access to files at the center.

University spokesman Mark Owczarski said Miller's move from his position as director of the center was a "personnel matter." He also said Miller worked at the university until 2008, two years after his position change. According to Miller's curriculum vitae, he worked as a clinical and consulting psychologist for the university's human relations department from 2006 until his retirement from Tech in 2008.

Current Cook Counseling Center director Chris Flynn took over Miller's position on September 11, 2006.

Owczarski spoke to each media outlet separately after being ordered by Kaine's office not to give a press conference.

Owczarski said the university did not know how the records reached Miller's home and could not even verify he located them in his home.

According to Owczarski, Miller was questioned in the original investigation of the shootings by the Virginia State Police, but told investigators he did not know the location of the files.

Miller could not be reached for comment.

He was director of the center from 2002 to 2006, according to his curriculum vitae. He is currently listed as an Assistant Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg.

Owczarski said Flynn was not available for comment on the topic.

Hall said he will look into whether or not Miller had access to the center after his departure, as Miller still works in Blacksburg, at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and worked for the university through 2008.

"He said he took these records with him at the time of his transfer," Hall said. "I am not obligated to believe that."

The notoriety of the shootings should have triggered Miller to remember he had the record, Hall said.

"It amazes me that while all of this is going on, the doctor does not have recall," Hall said. "It sits uneasily with me."

Hall said he is still researching Miller's possession of the documents in the Virginia code to check for possible criminal implications. He pointed out that Cho's treating therapist was Sherry Lynch Conrad, not Miller.

"It appears to be not just out of the ordinary," Hall said. "It appears to be illegal. He shouldn't have had them. They belonged to the Cook Counseling Center. They had no business going home with Dr. Miller. He was not a treating therapist."

Hall said Miller had not been contacted by anyone from the plaintiffs' side and an interview had not been scheduled. He said they will wait to see the contents of the records before they schedule an interview with Miller.

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PJ | # July 22, 2009 @ 11:11 AM — Flag Comment

Why would medical records ever be taken to an employee's home? Was this a common practice? Was it just Cho's records or others as well?

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