LYNCHBURG, Va. – Charges won’t be filed against a former Lynchburg gynecologist after allegations of sexual misconduct began circulating on social media back in September, according to Bethany Harrison, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Lynchburg.
“There is not sufficient evidence to proceed on criminal charges against Dr. Dabney for their complaints,” Harrison said. “This is for the complaints we have received to date and is not a comment on any complaints that have not been filed with LPD. Each case will be reviewed as reported to law enforcement.”
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This comes after several women took to social media with accusations against Dr. Lewis Dabney, ranging from harassment to sexual assault. Dabney resigned from Lynchburg Gynecology a short time later, and that same week, the office announced that it was severing all ties, including financial, with their former doctor.
On Monday morning, 10 News received an email from Alliance Group, a Richmond-based PR firm that’s working with Dabney. The firm released a statement on his behalf, which can be found below:
Over the past several weeks, Dr. Lewis Dabney has been attacked publicly with allegations regarding his professional conduct as a practicing gynecologist serving patients in Central Virginia. Amid inflammatory accusations and threats on social media and in the press against him, his wife, and his medical partners, Dr. Dabney chose to resign from Lynchburg Gynecology -- a practice he co-founded -- to remove himself as a distraction and prevent any disruption in care to the thousands of patients the practice serves.
What was an act of courage and integrity quickly drew suspicion and doubt. Yet, while Dr. Dabney has not engaged in any misconduct, he has been unable to respond to any of the allegations against him because of his HIPAA obligations and out of respect for the confidentially of his patients. Although Dr. Dabney cannot address the accusations against him directly, he can report the following:
On September 19, 2023, the Virginia Board of Medicine wrote to Dr. Dabney to confirm that it has “completed its review of an investigative report regarding [Dr. Dabney’s] standard of care concerning a patient” and is “end[ing] its inquiry at this time.” The determination letter confirms that the Board of Medicine’s investigation and disposition are “not a disciplinary action.”
On October 10, 2023, the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Office notified Dr. Dabney that, after a thorough investigation by the Lynchburg Police Department and a further review by the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Office that no criminal charges will be filed based on recent complaints made public via the media. A female nurse was present 100% of the time during examinations and he and all of his nurses have consistently denied any allegation of misconduct. Dr. Dabney and his nurses are thankful for the work by local police and prosecutors in swiftly clearing his name from any criminal conduct.
Dr. Dabney is confident in the excellent care he provided to his patients during over 100,000 patient interactions the last 22 years, and continues to support the care Lynchburg Gynecology offers to the women of Central Virginia. With the support of his friends, family and many former patients and colleagues, Dr. Dabney will now work to restore the reputation he earned as a trusted and respected member of the local medical profession and as someone who is invested in the well-being of our community.
Alliance Group
Alliance Group also released a statement in late September, which can be found here.