Pediatrician's Child Rape Trial Over in a Day

(Newser) – The trial of former Delaware pediatrician Earl Bradley, accused of committing monstrous sex crimes against scores of young patients, lasted four hours. Several people fled the courtroom as investigators described how Bradley, 58, had recorded hundreds of hours of video of himself abusing a total of 86 victims, all but one of them young girls, with an average age of 3, the AP reports. Bradley raped his victims and forced them to perform oral sex on him, sometimes needing to resuscitate semiconscious victims, the court heard.

Troopers told of how Bradley "groomed" parents to allow him to take their children to a basement or outbuilding, telling them the kids would be receiving a Popsicle or toy. The defense did not cross-examine the troopers and Bradley, who never turned to face his victims' families, told the judge he had "decided not to testify," the News-Journal reports. The judge, who reviewed the graphic video evidence, is certain to find Bradley guilty and sentence him to life in prison. His lawyers, however, are expected to appeal, challenging the legality of state troopers' seizure of the videos.