John Schneeberger

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Dr. John Schneeberger (b. 1961) is a former Canadian physician, who drugged and raped one of his female patients. For years, he was able to evade justice by planting a fake DNA sample inside his own body, thus successfully foiling DNA tests.

Biography

John Schneeberger was born in Zambia and received medical education at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. In 1987, he moved to Canada. He lived in the town of Kipling, Saskatchewan and practiced in the Kipling Medical Center. He married Lisa Dillman, and had two daughters with her. In 1993, he acquired Canadian citizenship.

Rape case

On the night of 31 October 1992, Dr. Schneeberger sedated his 23-year-old patient, Candice, and raped her. While Versed, the anesthetic he used has strong amnesiac effect, Candice was still able to remember the rape (an example of anesthesia awareness). She reported the crime to the police.

The doctor's blood sample was, however, found not to match the samples of the alleged rapist's semen, thus clearing Dr. Schneeberger of suspicion. In 1993, at the victim's request, the test was repeated, but the result was negative, as well. In 1994, the case was closed.

Candice, still convinced that her reminiscences were true, hired Larry O'Brien, a private detective, to investigate the case. He broke into Dr. Schneeberger's car and obtained another DNA sample, which, this time, matched the semen on victim's panties and pants. As a result, third official test was organized. The obtained blood sample was, however, found to be too small and of too poor quality to be useful for analysis.

In 1997, Lisa Schneeberger found out that Dr. Schneeberger had repeatedly drugged and raped her 15-year-old daughter from her first marriage. She reported her husband to the police, which ordered fourth DNA test. This time, multiple samples were taken: blood, mouth swab, and hair follicle. All three matched the rapist's semen.

Conviction

During his 1999 trial, Dr. Schneeberger revealed the method he used to foil the DNA tests. He implanted a 15 cm Penrose drain filled with another man's blood and anticoagulants in his arm. During tests, he tricked the laboratory technician to obtain blood sample from the place the tube was planted.

He was found guilty of sexual assault on Candice, of administering a noxious substance to Candice and to his stepdaughter, and of obstruction of justice, and received a six-year imprisonment sentence.

Aftermath

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan stripped Dr. Schneeberger of his medical license and his wife has divorced him.

In 2003, Dr. Schneeberger was released on parole, after serving four years in prison. He was stripped of his Canadian citizenship on the pretext of not mentioning the police investigation against him in his citizenship application,[1] and deported to South Africa in 2004. He moved to Durban to live with his mother.

His case was depicted in a 2003 Canadian film, I accuse.

References

• Manning, Lona (3 April 2003). Rapist, M.D.. Crime Magazine. Pat O'Connor.