Jury sides with doctor who cut off part of man's penis

After only about an hour of deliberation Wednesday, the six-man, six-woman jury in Shelby County Circuit Court found that Dr. John Patterson acted appropriately and Phillip Seaton, 64, of Waddy, should get no money in the lawsuit.

“We felt bad for the circumstances. (Seaton) has our sympathy. But at the same time, he’s alive today because this man did what he did, because this man performed the surgery,” jury forewoman Lydia Tapp told The Courier-Journal in a phone interview.

The jury ruled unanimously against the claim that Patterson had failed to exercise proper care. It ruled 10-2 against the claim that Seaton hadn’t consented to the amputation.

Jurors were told that Seaton had gone to Patterson seeking a circumcision in October 2007, but the Frankfort doctor decided to amputate part of the penis after he found potentially deadly cancer during surgery.

Seaton, who had been seeking damages for “loss of service, love and affection,” declined to comment after the verdict.