New civil trial ordered for Shoreline-area pediatrician sued for abuse

A King County Superior Court judge has ordered a new civil trial in the case of Bill Schnall, a former Shoreline-area pediatrician who was sued by four young men claiming he had improper relationships with them.

Citing jury misconduct, Judge Paris Kallas made her oral ruling late Friday, plaintiffs' attorney Anne Bremner said.

The decision comes nearly two months after a King County jury ordered Schnall to pay about $630,000 to three of the four former patients and their families who sued the physician, alleging that his treatment involved years of abuse.

In that two-part verdict, the jury cleared Schnall of additional damages, saying he did not communicate with minors for immoral purposes — which would have entitled the plaintiffs to nearly $2 million in attorneys' fees and costs.

The plaintiffs' attorneys sought a new trial because they felt the damages were "far higher than those ordered by the jury," Bremner said, and because the jury found that Schnall did not communicate with a minor for immoral purposes.

"We are very pleased that the court allowed for a new trial," Bremner said.

Kallas said she had no confidence in the verdict because jurors were swayed by media reports during the trial, Bremner said.

"There were jurors reading the newspaper out loud in the jury room," Bremner said. "And two jurors failed to disclose important personal information."

Neither Schnall nor defense attorney John Gagliardi could be reached for comment. A date for the new trial has not been set.

In April 2006, after an investigation by the King County Sheriff's Office, then-Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng determined there wasn't a criminal charge his office could pursue. The doctor did, however, cross medical and professional boundaries with his actions, the Prosecutor's Office stated at the time.

According to the complaint and testimony during the five-week civil trial, Schnall inappropriately touched the genitals of the plaintiffs and took nude photos of one. They also claimed he secretly provided some with money, sent them sexually explicit e-mails and discussed his sexual arousal with them.

Schnall vehemently denied the accusations, arguing that proper medical procedures were blown out of proportion by the boys.

Information from The Seattle Times archives is included in this report.