Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BOARD OF MEDICINE
Respondent: MARCUS DENARD FREEMAN, M.D.
Judges: G. W. CHISENHALL
Agency: Department of Health
Locations: Cantonment, Florida
Filed: Aug. 03, 2020
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.
Latest Update: Dec. 26, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
Petitioner,
Vv. DOH Case No. 2019-45341
MARCUS DENARD FREEMAN, M.D.,
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, the Department of Health (the Department), hereby files
this Administrative Complaint before the Board of Medicine (the Board)
against Respondent, Marcus Denard Freeman, M.D. (Respondent), in the
above styled and numbered matter. The Department alleges:
1. The Department regulates the practice of medicine in Florida
pursuant to section 20.43, Florida Statutes, and chapters 456 and 458,
Florida Statutes.
2. Atall times material hereto, Respondent was a licensed physician
in Florida, having been issued license number ME 137197.
3. | The Department's address of record for Respondent is 2316 West
23rd Street, Panama City, Florida 32407.
4. | At some point in or around 2019, the Alabama Board of Medical
Examiners issued a Certificate of Qualification to Respondent.
5. At some point thereafter, Respondent applied to the Medical
Licensure Commission of Alabama (the Commission) for a license to practice
medicine or osteopathy in Alabama.
6. Onor about September 25, 2019, the Commission conducted a
hearing on Respondent's application, at which hearing Respondent appeared
by video teleconference and testified.
7. Based on the evidence received at the hearing and Respondent’s
application, the Commission concluded that Respondent committed fraud in
applying for or procuring a Certificate of Qualification to practice medicine or
osteopathy or a license to practice medicine or osteopathy in Alabama.
8. | The Commission also concluded that Respondent was unable to
practice medicine or osteopathy with reasonable skill and safety to patients
by reason of a demonstrated lack of basic medical knowledge or clinical
competency.
9. On or about October 2, 2019, the Commission issued a Notice
advising that Respondent's application for licensure to practice medicine or
osteopathy in Alabama was denied.
DOH v. Marcus Denard Freeman, M.D.
DOH Case Number 2019-45341
Administrative Complaint Page 2 of 5
10. Section 458.331(1)(b), Florida Statutes (2019), subjects a
licensee to discipline for having a license or the authority to practice medicine
revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against, including the denial of
licensure, by the licensing authority of any jurisdiction, including its agencies
or subdivisions. The licensing authority's acceptance of a physician's
relinquishment of a license, stipulation, consent order, or other settlement,
offered in response to or in anticipation of the filing of administrative charges
against the physician’s license, shall be construed as action against the
physician’s license.
11. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated section
458.331(1)(b), Florida Statutes.
WHEREFORE, the Department respectfully requests the Board enter an
order imposing one or more of the following penalties: permanent
revocation or suspension of Respondent's license, restriction of practice,
imposition of an administrative fine, issuance of a reprimand, placement of
Respondent on probation, corrective action, refund of fees billed or collected,
remedial education, and/or any other relief the Board deems appropriate.
[This space intentionally left blank.]
DOH v. Marcus Denard Freeman, M.D.
DOH Case Number 2019-45341
Administrative Complaint Page 3 of 5
SIGNED this seventeenth day of April, 2020.
Scott A. Rivkees, M.D.
State Surgeon General
Geoffrey M. Christian
Geoffrey M. Christian, Esq.
Assistant General Counsel
Florida Bar No. 0010325
Department of Health
Prosecution Services Unit
OE UTY ane 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-65
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3265
ouErK: Srol? Conte? Telephone (850) 245-4661
’ Facsimile (850) 245-4684
DATE. q. |]. 2920 E-mail geoffrey.christian@flhealth.gov
Attorney for Petitioner
PCP Date: April 17, 2020
PCP Members: M. Avila, M.D.; Z. Zachariah, M.D.; N. Romanello, J.D.
DOH v. Marcus Denard Freeman, M.D.
DOH Case Number 2019-45341
Administrative Complaint Page 4 of 5
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
Respondent has the right to request a hearing to be conducted
in accordance with section 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes,
to be represented by counsel or other qualified representative, to
present evidence and argument, to call and cross-examine
witnesses and to have subpoena and subpoena duces tecum issued
on his or her behalf if a hearing is requested.
A request or petition for an administrative hearing must be in
writing and must be received by the Department within twenty-one
(21) days from the day Respondent received this Administrative
Complaint, pursuant to rule 28-106.111(2), Florida Administrative
Code. If Respondent fails to request a hearing within twenty-one
(21) days of receipt of this Administrative Complaint, Respondent
waives the right to request a hearing on the facts alleged in this
Administrative Complaint pursuant to rule 28-106.111(4), Florida
Administrative Code. Any request for an administrative proceeding
to challenge or contest the material facts or charges contained in
this Administrative Complaint must conform to rule 28-
106.2015(5), Florida Administrative Code.
Mediation under section 120.573, Florida Statutes, is not
available to resolve this Administrative Complaint.
NOTICE REGARDING ASSESSMENT OF COSTS
Respondent is placed on notice that the Department has
incurred costs related to the investigation and prosecution of this
matter. Pursuant to section 456.072(4), Florida Statutes, the
Board shall assess costs related to the investigation and
prosecution of a disciplinary matter, which may include attorney
hours and costs, on Respondent in addition to any other discipline
imposed.
DOH v. Marcus Denard Freeman, M.D.
DOH Case Number 2019-45341
Administrative Complaint Page 5 of 5
Docket for Case No: 20-003440PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Oct. 06, 2020 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Oct. 06, 2020 |
Petitioner's Status Report filed.
|
Oct. 02, 2020 |
Order Denying Respondent's "Motion for Extension of Time".
|
Oct. 02, 2020 |
(Amended) Opposition to Petitioner's Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
|
Oct. 02, 2020 |
(Amended) Opposition to Petitioner's Motion to Deem Matters Admitted filed.
|
Oct. 02, 2020 |
Opposition to Petitioner's Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
|
Oct. 02, 2020 |
Opposition to Petitioner's Motion to Deem Matters Admitted filed.
|
Sep. 30, 2020 |
Motion for Extension of Time filed.
|
Sep. 28, 2020 |
Order Pertaining to Petitioner's Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction.
|
Sep. 24, 2020 |
Petitioner's Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
|
Sep. 17, 2020 |
Order Pertaining to Petitioner's Discovery Requests.
|
Sep. 17, 2020 |
CASE STATUS: Motion Hearing Held. |
Sep. 17, 2020 |
Notice of Telephonic Motion Hearing (motion hearing set for September 17, 2020; 10:00 a.m., Central Time).
|
Sep. 16, 2020 |
Notice of Withdrawal of Co-Counsel filed.
|
Sep. 16, 2020 |
Petitioner's Motion to Compel Discovery filed.
|
Sep. 16, 2020 |
Motion to Deem Matters Admitted (with Exhibit A) filed.
|
Sep. 15, 2020 |
Petitioner's First Notice of Taking Deposition Duces Tecum (Marcus Denard Freeman, M.D.) filed.
|
Sep. 03, 2020 |
Amended Notice of Appearance of Co-Counsel (Jeremy Trimble) filed.
|
Sep. 02, 2020 |
Notice of Appearance of Co-Counsel (Jeremy Trimble) filed.
|
Aug. 31, 2020 |
Notice of Substitution of Counsel (Jamal Burk) filed.
|
Aug. 14, 2020 |
Petitioner's First Notice of Court Reporter filed.
|
Aug. 14, 2020 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Aug. 14, 2020 |
Notice of Hearing by Zoom Conference (hearing set for October 5, 2020; 9:00 a.m., Central Time; Cantonment).
|
Aug. 14, 2020 |
Petitioner's First Notice of Intent to Seek to Admit Business Records into Evidence filed.
|
Aug. 13, 2020 |
Petitioner's Second Motion for Official Recognition filed.
|
Aug. 13, 2020 |
Petitioner's First Motion for Official Recognition filed.
|
Aug. 10, 2020 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Initial Order.
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Notice of Appearance on behalf of Petitioner (Geoffrey Christian).
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Notice of Withdrawal of Counsel (Lauren Leikam) filed.
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Agency referral filed.
|
Aug. 03, 2020 |
Petitioner's Notice of Serving Petitioner's First Set of Requests for Admission, First Set of Interrogatories, and First Set of Requests for Production of Documents filed.
|