Patient at Palm Springs Hospital in Hialeah alleges abuse by nurse

A $5 million lawsuit filed Monday against Palm Springs Hospital in Hialeah alleges that a nurse sexually assaulted a patient.

Hialeah police arrested nurse Rene Martinez, 53, Sept. 15 and charged him with simple battery and an “unnatural and lascivious act” after he allegedly “grabbed the victim’s penis,” the police report states.

The victim, described as “John Doe” in court documents, had sought treatment for leg and back pain that day at the hospital, 1475 W. 49th Pl. While the man rested in bed wearing a hospital gown, Martinez groped him, according to the complaint.

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon outside the hospital, the man said he did not immediately tell the hospital staff what had happened because he “feared he would not be believed.”

The man described how he placed his cellphone near his right shoulder and pretended to sleep. Then, he said, he started to record what was happening when he felt the nurse touch his left leg and hip.

“I gave him a look, like what the hell are you doing?” the victim said as he described his initial reaction to the nurse after his private parts were touched.

A copy of the video provided to the Miami Herald by the victim’s attorney shows what appears to be a hospital worker touching a man’s private parts.

“A hospital must protect its patients from sexual assault by hospital employees,” said Jeff Herman, the man’s attorney.

A hospital official declined to comment about pending litigation.

This story was originally published November 11, 2014 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Patient at Palm Springs Hospital in Hialeah alleges abuse by nurse."