Trial Begins Against Surgeon Who Amputated Man's Penis Without Permission
Aug. 22 2011, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
Instead of a cheated wife or jilted girlfriend, it was an esteemed surgeon who chopped off Phillip Seaton's penis and now the castrated man is seeking revenge in court.
Dr. John Patterson is being sued for removing Seaton's penis without his permission during a routine operation in October 2007, and the trial got underway in Shelby, Kentucky, on Monday, reported ABCNews.com.
Seaton, a truck driver who can't read or write, and his wife Deborah are seeking damages for "loss of service, love and affection," against the surgeon after the victim went in for a routine circumcision and came out a eunuch.
According to a report in the Associated Press, Patterson's defense lawyer, Clay Robinson, told the court that his client had no other option but to remove the penis as it was riddled with deadly cancer and the tip looked like it "had the appearance of rotten cauliflower."
He claims that Patterson only removed the end and another surgeon removed the rest.
As you would expect after such an extreme chop, Seaton's lawyer Kevin George claims his client "doesn't feel like a man without his penis." During the opening arguments he showed photos of Seaton's groin and pointed out: "You can see there's nothing there."
Despite the discovery of cancer, medical experts testified that Patterson had no right to perform a penectomy on the patient without his permission as there were less invasive options available.
Seaton previously won a case against Louisville's Jewish Hospital, where the surgery was performed, and the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Watch a video about the trial from ABC News below: