A 70-year-old Ashland doctor, known as Starer, has pleaded guilty to multiple offenses related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The doctor, who is a gynecologist and addiction specialist, admitted to eight felonies, including civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Additionally, she pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor offenses associated with her presence during the riot.
According to court documents, Starer traveled from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., to attend former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally. Subsequently, she joined the crowd that moved towards the Capitol building and entered through the East Rotunda doors at approximately 2:51 p.m. Inside the Rotunda, Trump supporters confronted officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police, who were attempting to protect the west entrance from the rioters.
The confrontation took place near former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. At around 3 p.m., Starer approached the officers and found herself pressed against another rioter with outstretched arms. She pointed her finger towards the officers before grabbing the arm of the fellow rioter and pushing it down. As she turned to face the rioter, police pushed her back. Starer then struck one of the officers with a closed fist. She subsequently moved away from the police but returned, shouting expletives.
Body camera footage obtained by authorities captured the chaotic moments of the incident. Starer’s background as a respected medical professional, serving as president of the Massachusetts Society of Addiction Medicine and as a consultant to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, adds a surprising dimension to her involvement in the Capitol breach. She had also worked as a double board-certified attending physician at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital.
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What are your thoughts on the role of professionals, such as doctors, in participating in acts of violence or supporting extremist ideologies? How should society address the issue of professionals engaging in criminal activities?