Winnipeg pediatrician accused of molesting son says 'abnormal imagination' behind allegations
WARNING: This story contains description of alleged sexual assaults
A renowned Winnipeg pediatrician accused of sexually molesting his son about 100 times didn't mince words when asked during his trial if the alleged abuse occurred.
Victor Chernick adamantly denies committing any sexual acts against his son, and he rejects the allegation that he admitted to the abuse years later and apologized to his son for it.
"Absolutely not," the 82-year-old said this week of the purported abuse, which is alleged to have happened between 1975-1979.
"I find those acts repugnant," he testified before Court of Queen's Bench Justice Joan McKelvey.
Chernick just as forcefully denied that there was a conversation at the family cabin where he, while drunk and emotional, confessed the abuse to his son Richard Chernick, now 56, and his daughter-in-law Debra Stern.
I blindly supported him because he's innocent until proven guilty, that's the rule of law.- Robert Chernick, brother of the accused
Both Richard Chernick and Stern testified last week that such a conversation took place.
Victor said he's never been intoxicated before.
"This is sheer nonsense. A conversation like that never took place. It's coming out of the realm of some abnormal imagination."
Brother of accused testifies
After hearing the Crown's case last week, the defence called the accused on Monday and his brother, Robert Chernick, on Tuesday to defend the prominent medical practitioner and scholar, who was the former chief pediatrician at Winnipeg's Children's Hospital.
Victor Chernick was charged in 2014 with incest, indecent assault, buggery and two counts of gross indecency after his son came forward to police.
He has pleaded not guilty, and none of the allegations have been proven in court.
During his testimony last week, Richard recounted at least four instances of sexual abuse in graphic detail that he says happened in his mid- to late teens, including one case where he says his mother walked in on them.
On Tuesday, Victor's brother told the court he first learned of Richard's allegations in 2013 when his brother acknowledged the police investigation.
Believed brother's innocence
Robert said he believed his brother from the beginning and did not ask him any questions about it.
Crown attorney Debbie Buors suggested Robert was "blindly supporting" his brother because he's indebted to him for a previous financial arrangement.
"I blindly supported him because he's innocent until proven guilty, that's the rule of law. Why would I not support the premise?" Robert Chernick answered.
"Well, why not the rule of your family? The rule of you as a human being? The rule of you as a uncle?" Buors asked.
"Would you not pick up the phone? Would you not have asked your brother what was going on?"
Robert believed his brother because he too had been accused of sexual assault years earlier by Richard's sister Sharon Chernick.
The siblings, whose names can be revealed because they waived the publication ban in place for victims of sexual allegations, also brought a civil lawsuit against their father in 2014, alleging years of mental and sexual abuse perpetrated by their dad. The matter has been postponed until the criminal trial is seen through.
Charges from Sharon's allegations against Victor Chernick were later stayed.
Told psychologists about alleged abuse
The alleged abuse tormented Richard for years, he told court last week. He was twice hospitalized, for two months at a time in each case, due to depression, he said.
Richard said he started seeing a psychologist at 18, at the insistence of Stern, his future wife. He told two psychologists about the alleged incidents and his father also accompanied him on one appointment to discuss the abuse, court heard.
Some time afterward, Child and Family Services called Richard into a meeting, though he testified he wasn't comfortable with "coming forward with saying my father was a child molester."
Victor admitted to the abuse during therapy, Stern alleged in court last week.
He has not had a relationship with his father since a dispute over an invitation to Richard's son's bar mitzvah in 2001.
The Crown suggested the falling out was tied to the alleged sexual abuse, but Victor Chernick said he was in the dark until he was arrested by police in 2013.
Closing arguments in the trial will be heard on Wednesday.
With files from Bryce Hoye.
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