Trial pushed in Morgenstern abuse case
The trial for a suspended ER physician at the Spokane Veteran's Affairs hospital has been pushed to April.
Craig Morgenstern, 45, remains in custody of the Spokane County Jail, facing a nine-count federal criminal indictment that charges him with producing child pornography, aggravated sexual abuse of a child and traveling across state lines to sexually abuse children. Morgenstern was originally jailed last month after a 13-year-old left the physician's Nine Mile Falls home and told a neighbor he'd awoken to the 45-year-old abusing him.
A subsequent search of Morgenstern's home - and a damaged laptop the physician allegedly deposited in a Dumpster on his way to the Stevens County Jail - has revealed evidence of multiple children being victimized by Morgenstern, according to court documents. Federal prosecutors indicated Tuesday they continue to comb through electronic files and a superseding indictment with additional charges will likely be filed.
A trial in the case had been tentatively scheduled for January. Morgenstern did not object to a continuance. A victim advocate told U.S. District Court Judge William F. Nelson the families of those alleged abuse did not object to pushing the trial date, but wanted certainty this case would be resolved.