Employees of mental hospitals disciplined for abuse, neglect

These are some of the 192 employees of state mental institutions found to have abused or neglected patients since 2000. See the rest and read the state's investigative reports at newsobserver.com.

Daniel Lang

FACILITY: Dorothea Dix Hospital, Raleigh

HIRED: Oct. 16, 1990

TITLE: Forensic Health Technician

STATUS: Fired in Jan. 2003

MOST RECENT SALARY: $25,648

FINDING: A 2003 investigation by Dix Hospital police substantiated allegations that Lang abused a patient by repeatedly having sex with her. But before he was arrested on six felony rape and sexual offense charges, he slit his wife's throat and dumped her body in woods near the hospital. Knowing he had terminal prostate cancer, Lang pleaded guilty to one sex offense count in 2004 and to first-degree murder in 2006, accepting a life sentence. He died in prison Dec. 27, 2006.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: None indicated in North Carolina.

Romaine Keith Earnest

FACILITY: Caswell Center, Kinston

HIRED: April 10, 2000

TITLE: Health Care Technician

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $20,164

FINDING: An investigation conducted by the Kinston Police Department substantiated allegations that Earnest abused a mentally retarded resident in October 2001 by inserting a broom handle into the patient's rectum, causing severe internal injuries. Earnest was charged with three counts of felony sexual offense, but he later pleaded guilty to the lesser felony charges of sexual activity by a custodian and assault with a deadly weapon. He served a minimum term of one year and eight months in prison.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: Earnest had racked up 17 criminal charges before he was hired, including felony breaking and entering, larceny and possession of stolen goods in 1997. Court records show Earnest received two years' probation and that an Onslow County judge ordered him to pay $525 in restitution and stop using illegal drugs.

William Jeffrey Hahn

FACILITY: Dorothea Dix Hospital

HIRED: Jan. 8, 2001

TITLE: Health Care Technician

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $19,806

FINDING: An investigation determined that Hahn assaulted a patient April 24, 2004. Court records show that Hahn was charged in Wake County with misdemeanor child abuse and later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of simple assault.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: None indicated in North Carolina.

Brandi Nichole Harrington

FACILITY: Dorothea Dix Hospital

HIRED: Oct. 17, 2002

TITLE: Health Care Technician

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $22,209

FINDING: An investigation determined that Harrington neglected a patient by having sex with the patient in October 2003. Harrington was charged in Wake County with having sexual contact with a client, a misdemeanor. That charge was dropped, court records show.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: None indicated in North Carolina.

Matthew Allen Rose

FACILITY: Broughton Hospital, Morganton

HIRED: Jan. 18, 2000

TITLE: Health Care Technician

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $19,806

FINDING: An investigation substantiated the allegation that Rose abused a resident by performing oral sex on a 15-year-old patient and touching him inappropriately. Pleaded guilty to felony indecent liberties with a child. He served one year in prison.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: None indicated in North Carolina.

Walter Gregory Dunston

FACILITY: Dorothea Dix Hospital

HIRED: June 8, 1998

TITLE: Forensic Health Technician I

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $24,485

FINDING: An investigation determined that Dunston neglected a patient Sept. 6, 2004, by not providing a secure environment when he opened locked doors and allowed the patient to escape from the hospital, placing the patient at risk of mental and physical harm. Dunston was charged in Wake County with a single count of abuse and exploitation of a patient, a misdemeanor. Court records show those charges were dismissed.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: Dunston had multiple charges in his record, including convictions for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer, both in 1996; as well as probation violations related to his three DWI convictions.

William Dempsey Strickland

FACILITY: Cherry Hospital, Goldsboro

HIRED: Jan. 1, 2001

TITLE: Health Care Technician

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $19,806

FINDING: An investigation by hospital police substantiated allegations that Strickland performed oral sex on a mental patient in November 2003. Charged with two counts of felony sexual offense in an institution, Strickland pleaded guilty to the lesser felony charge of a crime against nature. He received a suspended sentence and probation and was ordered to perform community service.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: Sentenced to probation and community service in 1998 on two misdemeanor charges of writing worthless checks in Wayne County.

Joseph Lee Glass

FACILITY: Broughton Hospital, Morganton

HIRED: April 2, 2001

TITLE: Health Care Technician

STATUS: Employment terminated

MOST RECENT SALARY: $19,806

FINDING: On or about April 1, 2002, Glass neglected a patient by placing of a towel over the patient's face while the patient was in restraints. Records show Glass was charged with felony assault on a handicapped person, but that charge was dropped.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY: None indicated in North Carolina.