Dr. Roland Clark
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- USA
- Location
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Date of birth
- 1911
- Age at first offence
- 56
- Characteristics
- poisoner, police officer
- Victim profile
- Hannah Bowerbank, 63 / Grace Neil (his assistants)
- Method of murder
- Poisoning (sodium pentothal)
- Date(s) of murder
- March 20/November 3, 1967
- Years active
- 1967
- Date of arrest
- November 16, 1967
- Status
-
Sentenced to prison for a term of three to fifteen years; killed at the state penitentiary in Jackson in March 1972; authorities blamed his death on an accidental fall
Background
Dr. Roland Clark was a physician who remained in practice despite repeated professional and legal trouble. Between 1954 and 1967, his medical license was revoked on four separate occasions. The revocations were for "gross misconduct," twice for "moral turpitude," and once without specific charges from the state. After each revocation, he won a grudging reinstatement, hailing his accusers into court and pleading poverty.
During the same period, his record showed 25 complaints to the Michigan medical board. The complaints included three cases of death from drug overdose in his office. The record also included allegations of illegal abortion, sexual assaults on his patients, child molestation, excessive drug treatment for mythical ailments, and practicing medicine without a license.
He was committed to a state hospital in 1958 by his former wife. He was released as "recovered" with less than three months of therapy.
The offence
On March 20, 1967, Hannah Bowerbank, described as Clark's 63-year-old assistant, collapsed and died on the job.
On November 3, the part-time assistant Grace Neil died.
Clark was later convicted on two manslaughter counts in the deaths of his assistants.
Investigation
Police regarded the circumstances of Hannah Bowerbank's death as "curious," but they had no evidence of foul play.
After Grace Neil's death, patrolmen noted a hearse illegally parked at Clark's office that night. They stepped inside and discovered a corpse that had been bagged for transport. An autopsy showed traces of sodium pentothal.
Police went looking for Clark on November 16, but they forgot their warrants when they went to his premises. The physician barred them from his premises. Returning with the necessary paperwork, detectives found Clark missing. A 12-hour pursuit ended when bloodhounds ran him to ground near Port Austin, 125 miles north of Detroit.
Clark was held in lieu of $50,000 bond while authorities probed the deaths of at least nine patients. Those deaths were blamed on "therapeutic misadventure, cardiac arrest, or an injection of one sort or another."
None of those cases involving patients were ultimately pursued.
Arrest
Clark was pursued for 12 hours and was found near Port Austin, 125 miles north of Detroit, after bloodhounds ran him to ground. He was held in lieu of $50,000 bond.
The 56-year-old doctor had been charged with two counts of manslaughter.
Trial
Clark was convicted on two manslaughter counts in the deaths of his assistants.
Sentencing
Clark was sentenced to prison for a term of three to fifteen years.
Outcome
In March 1972, Dr. Roland Clark was killed at the state penitentiary in Jackson. Authorities blamed his death on an accidental fall.
Other details
Dr. Roland Clark was described as a physician linked to deaths of three patients and two employees.
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