Public defender's office halts Bradley case

Earl Bradley's public defender says his office will not appeal a recent Delaware Supreme Court ruling upholding Bradley's conviction on 24 counts of rape, assault and sexual exploitation involving 86 children at his BayBees Pediatrics office in Lewes.

Attorney Robert Goff of the Public Defender’s Office said his office would not continue representing Bradley after the state Supreme Court upheld Bradley’s conviction.

Goff said Bradley has been advised that the public defender's office will not continue the case.

“The courts have made their decision,” he said. “We assessed and made the decision not to go further.”

Goff said Bradley is free to continue the case on his own or retain other counsel. Bradley could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Goff said he did not want to give personal opinions on the case. He said he did not want to compromise Bradley’s case. Goff said he made his case clear in court, and the courts have put the case to an end.

Attorney General Joseph “Beau” Biden III said, “Our hope is that this development actually will end the criminal proceedings for all involved in this incredibly difficult case.  However, our focus – and our job – continues to be making sure that the victims and their families have everything they need to heal, for as long as they need it.”

Bradley does still face another possible trial in a second indictment, brought against him in April 2010 by the Department of Justice based on testimony from interviews by the Child Advocacy Center. Bradley was indicted by a Sussex County grand jury on 58 charges of rape, unlawful sexual contact, continuous sexual abuse of a child and child exploitation involving 24 children, all girls.

The case was scheduled to go to trial June 22, but has been put on hold. Department of Justice spokesman Jason Miller said the indictment remains pending at this time.

Bradley is incarcerated at the James. T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna serving 14 life sentences and 164 years in prison.