LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on a former USC medical school dean who allegedly abused drugs (all times local):
6:10 p.m.
The University of Southern California says it will fire a former medical school dean over allegations that he abused drugs.
In a letter to the faculty Friday, USC Provost Michael Quick says the university has started the process of firing Dr. Carmen Puliafito and stripping him of tenure. The letter also says Puliafito is immediately suspended and barred from campus.
Puliafito stepped down as dean last year and is on leave from USC but remains a faculty member.
The announcement came after the school said it was hiring a former judge and federal prosecutor to head an investigation into Los Angeles Times (https://lat.ms/2tOJ4j6 ) reports that Puliafito was seen on video apparently smoking methamphetamine and consorting with addicts and criminals.
Puliafito hasn’t comment publicly on the allegations.
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5:13 p.m.
The University of Southern California has hired a onetime judge and prosecutor to investigate allegations that its former medical school dean abused drugs.
The Los Angeles Times (https://lat.ms/2tOJ4j6) says USC’s president sent a letter Friday announcing the investigation of Dr. Carmen Puliafito and urging colleagues to cooperate fully.
The probe will be conducted by Debra Wong Yang, a former member of the Los Angeles Police Commission, Superior Court judge and federal prosecutor.
Yang will present her findings to a committee of the USC board of trustees.
The Times has reported that Puliafito, a renowned eye surgeon, was seen on video apparently smoking methamphetamine and consorting with addicts and criminals. He stepped down as dean of the Keck School of Medicine last year.
Puliafito hasn’t commented publicly on the Times allegations.
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Information from: Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/
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