On Wednesday, a federal court jury in Vermont awarded a Florida woman over $5 million in damages after it was revealed that a doctor had used his own sperm to artificially inseminate her in 1977.
According to USA Today, Cheryl Rousseau said that Dr. John Coates III had agreed to inseminate her with donor material from an unnamed medical student that resembled Rousseau’s husband, and possessed the characteristics she had required.
Rousseau wanted to have a child with her husband, but could because he had received a vasectomy that couldn’t be reversed, the original complaint reported said.
Coates performed the artificial insemination in 1977, but instead of using donor material from the student, used his own sperm.
The lawsuit stated that the Rousseau family discovered Coates was the biological father after their now-grown daughter took a DNA test that revealed the information.
The court had begun its deliberations on Tuesday, and returned with their verdict on Wednesday.
The Jury awarded Rousseau with $250,000 in compensatory damages, and $5 million in punitive damages from Coates.
In an email sent after the verdict was announced, Celeste Laramie, Rousseau's attorney, said that the jury had awarded the amount requested by the plaintiff, and that the jurors found Coates' behavior "to be wrongful and offensive."
"The jury through its punitive damages verdict sent a message to any physicians who might think about lying to their patients or using their own semen to inseminate their patients," she said. "Such behavior will have serious consequences."
According to USA Today, Laramie said Peter Rousseau, Cheryl Rousseau’s husband, had initially been a party to the lawsuit, but was removed after the judge found that he failed to prove that he had suffered damages.
Defense attorney Peter Joslin said in an email that "we were surprised and disappointed with the verdict." The defense did not say whether they would appeal the verdict.
Vermont Medical Practice Board permanently revoked the now retired obstetrics and gynecology doctor Coates’ medical license last month.
Coates is facing a similar lawsuit filed last year, which is still pending in US District Court in Vermont.
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