RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond judge has ruled to allow former chiropractor Dr. Michael Pollock to delay entering his plea agreement on sexual battery charges so he can attend his son's high school graduation. Under the plea agreement, Pollock would be required to register as a sex offender and, as a result, unable to attend the ceremony.
Pollock and his family attended the hearing Monday morning at John Marshall Circuit Court. They read bibles as they waited for the hearing to get started.
Pollock's attorney James Maloney asked Judge Claire Cardwell if she would delay the plea agreement hearing until after Pollock's son's graduation, and she agreed to the request.
Pollock will be allowed to leave house arrest between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on June 3, 2022, to attend the graduation and participate in graduation festivities.
Once the plea deal is signed, Pollock will have to register as a sex offender and cannot go on school property.
"To be able to go out and celebrate and party and have dinner I think is extremely low on the judge's part to accept that and approve it," Lindy St. John, who worked for Pollock at his old Bon Air office, said.
St. John, who said Pollock treated her for back pain and touched her breast during treatment, attended the hearing to show support for his two Richmond victims.
Both St. John and those victims do not believe the plea agreement that will be signed on June 10 is harsh enough.
"I know that my clients are not thrilled with it," attorney Stephanie Grana said.
The four felony sexual assault charges Pollock faced were reduced to three misdemeanor sexual battery charges. As a result, Pollock would have to serve 15 days behind bars. His attorney said Pollock had already served that time.
The plea agreement also required Pollock to surrender his chiropractic license and never seek licensures again.
Grana is representing the two Richmond victims for forthcoming civil litigation.
"The unfortunate thing with criminal cases is there is no guarantee, and so at least in this aspect that there will be a definite outcome there will be some finality it's not going to be palatable," Grana said.
The plea, called an Alford plea, means Pollock admitted there was enough evidence to find him guilty, but he's not admitting guilt.
Asthe CBS 6 Problem Solvers previously reported, Pollock has a long history with the state Board of Medicine.
The board has investigated sexual misconduct accusations against Pollock since 1984.
Among the former patients who have come forward to the board since Pollock was arrested, is a woman who said she was 15-years-old when he engaged in sexual contact with her in 2000.
"What amazes me is to know his record," St. John said. "Once again his charges are reduced, it's not a big deal to sexually abuse someone."
This is a developing story.
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