A recent prison assault on the former eye surgeon convicted in the death of another doctor resulted in multiple facial fractures, two plastic surgeries and a 10-day hospital stay, his defense attorney said.
Bradley Schwartz, 43, was convicted in May 2006 of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the brutal Oct. 5, 2004, slaying of pediatric eye surgeon Dr. David Brian Stidham. Schwartz was sentenced to life in prison with release possible after 25 years.
On Sept. 27, Schwartz left a creative-writing class in the Rincon Unit of the Arizona State Prison complex in Tucson and was attacked on his way to a restroom, said his criminal defense attorney, Brick Storts.
Schwartz's eye sockets were broken along with other facial bones and he was flown to a Maricopa County hospital after a brief visit to St. Mary's Hospital, Storts said.
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Schwartz spent several days in the intensive-care unit and underwent two plastic surgeries once the swelling subsided, Storts said.
The former doctor was released from the hospital after 10 days and is now housed in a Florence prison unit.
Schwartz's right eyelid continues to droop and he has vision problems in that eye, Storts said. Additional plastic surgeries are likely, he said.
The Arizona Department of Corrections is investigating the assault.
Once the investigation is over, the case could be submitted to the Pima County Attorney's Office for possible charges, said prison spokesman Bill Lamoreaux.
Schwartz has been attacked four times since July, Storts said. In two of the incidents, the same inmate assaulted Schwartz.
Schwartz sustained neck and shoulder injuries in an attack in July and minor injuries in attacks on Sept. 12 and around Sept. 23, Storts said.
Prison officials have been asked to place Schwartz in protective custody, Storts said.
"I think he's a target not only because he was a doctor, but because of the case and the fact inmates probably assume that he comes from a family of some means," Storts said.
Schwartz has found himself the victim of intimidation and "shakedowns," Storts said.
"He isn't a particularly large man, but he's feisty," Storts said. "He's asserted his independence while he's been in there."
Schwartz has made an effort to ignore prison politics and some inmates may resent that, Storts said.
Online records show Schwartz has worked as a library aide and a dormitory porter at the prison.
Prosecutors contend that Schwartz paid Ronald Bruce Bigger $10,000 for the slaying because he was angry that Stidham had abandoned their joint practice while Schwartz was in a drug-rehabilitation program.
Stidham ended up with many of Schwartz's patients after Schwartz was indicted on federal drug-fraud charges in September 2002 and Schwartz's medical license was temporarily suspended.
Bigger was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in a separate trial in May 2007. He is serving two life sentences without the possibility of release.
The Stidham case has been featured all this week on the Investigation Discovery program "Solved."
