News Nearby: Dr. Thomas Tyma Found Guilty on All Counts for Inappropriately Touching Female Patients

After spending the morning testifying that he would never touch a patient inappropriately, Dr. Thomas Tyma was found guilty Monday of indecent assault on 17 women who were his rheumatology patients.

Common Pleas Court Judge Donna Jo McDaniel found Tyma guilty of 17 counts on indecent assault and 16 counts of harassment on women who were examined at Allegheny North Arthritis Center in Wexford and Jameson South in New Castle, Lawrence County.

She ordered a pre-sentencing report that includes an examination by the Mercy Behavioral Health agency before his sentencing May 24. She also ordered Tyma to have no contact with any of the victims.

When McDaniel announced her decision, a short cheer went up in the courtroom from victims who had testified against him during the trial

Afterward, Tyma's family circled him with an embrace. The rheumatologist lives in Franklin Park but has a Sewickley address. 

Tyma spent the morning testifying that he would "never" touch a patient's breast in the ways that the 17 women testified that he had. Instead, he said he gave heart exams with a stethoscope over a patient's clothing as a part of a routine physical exam.

Judge McDaniel said the women's testimony showed he did not have the stethoscope on them when he touched or "caressed" their breasts, as some of the victims testified.

In his closing remarks, defense attorney Stanton Levenson argued that all charges against the doctor should be dropped because indecent assault is defined as touching that brings about sexual arousal or gratification.

He said prosecutors did not prove that happened.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Digiovanni asked Tyma if he was saying the 17 women were not telling the truth.

Tyma answered that he could not read into why the women testified as they did.

Levenson also questioned the victims' "perception and recollection" because many suffered from depression, anxiety, panic attacks and sleep deprivation. He also noted that the victims had been prescribed various anti-depressants and anxiety medicines.

McDaniel countered that she thought Tyma picked on the weak and the vulnerable because no one would believe them.

"I think you chose these people because they did have (multiple illnesses and problems)," she said.

"Almost every one said she thought she would not be believed," said McDaniel. "All testified they knew something was wrong ... with your actions."