Smyrna doctor charged with sexual battery was still seeing patients weeks later

SOURCE: Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

A Smyrna cardiologist is facing sexual battery charges, and he's still practicing at TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna.

Dr. Nelson Jacks Mangione, of Brentwood, was indicted on six charges of sexual battery against a patient on Jan. 7. He was still practicing medicine at his office in Smyrna, which is on the StoneCrest hospital campus, as of 9 a.m. Thursday. A receptionist said he was with a patient and unable to take phone calls.

By late Thursday afternoon, Bethany Hart, spokeswoman for StoneCrest, said Mangione wasn't seeing patients. It was not clear when Mangione stopped seeing patients.

"The health and wellbeing of our patients and staff are always our primary concern," Hart said in an emailed statement. "The physician is not seeing patients at this time, and we are cooperating with authorities in their investigation of the allegations."

Mangione wasn't available for comment when The Daily News Journal reached out and didn't return messages left with the receptionist at his office. 

"This allegation was investigated by the hospital and physicians, who determined that Dr. Mangione had done nothing wrong," Alex Little, Mangione's attorney, said in an email to The Daily News Journal. "The charges stem from a brief chest exam of a female patient who presented with an emergent condition. Dr. Mangione conducted the exam as he has done with thousands of patients before, male and female. The only reason there is an indictment is because Tennessee permits individuals to bring criminal accusations directly to a grand jury, even without a detective or prosecutor endorsing the proposed charge. That is what happened here.

"We hope that when the prosecutors review the medical documentation and evidence that was reviewed by the hospital, they will dismiss this matter promptly.”

Mangione, who received his degree from Vanderbilt University, has staff privileges at two other hospitals, according to his profile with the Tennessee Department of Health.

According to the state's website, the doctor can see patients at Centennial Medical Center and Southern Hills Medical Center; however, "he has not practiced (at Centennial and Southern Hills) in years," said Joe Hagan, who serves as assistant vice president for public relations at TriStar. 

Sarah Davis, the prosecuting attorney with the District Attorney's Office, said she wasn't able to comment on pending litigation.

The Smyrna Police Department said they had a report on file for Mangione, but could not release it as the case is under investigation. 

Mangione, who posted a $25,000 bond on Jan. 30, is scheduled for a plea hearing on March 20.