BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A Mobile neurosurgeon facing child sexual abuse material charges was hospitalized early Thursday after an apparent suicide attempt inside the Baldwin County Corrections Center, according to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
Corrections officers found Dr. Shawn Clark unconscious in his cell around 3:30 a.m. Sept. 17, the sheriff’s office said. Officers immediately provided medical aid and called for an ambulance.
Investigators later determined Clark had intentionally injured himself in an attempted suicide. The sheriff’s office said no other inmates were involved.
Condition and Next Steps
Clark was taken to University Hospital, a local trauma center, where he was listed in stable condition. Once medical professionals clear him, the sheriff’s office said, Clark will return to the Baldwin County Corrections Center and be placed on suicide watch.
The sheriff’s office commended the corrections officers’ quick response and medical training, saying their actions helped preserve Clark’s life.
Suicide Watch in County Jails
Suicide watch is a heightened supervision protocol used in correctional facilities when an inmate is assessed as being at risk. In practice it generally involves placement in a specially configured cell, removal of items that could be used for self-harm, continuous or frequent documented observation and referral for mental health evaluation.
Jails are required to screen inmates for suicide risk at intake and to have written procedures for responding to attempts. National correctional health standards identify the early period following booking — and periods following significant case developments such as new charges or transfers — as elevated-risk windows.
The outcome in this case turned on the response time of the officers who found Clark. Facilities that train correctional staff in emergency medical response and equip housing units accordingly have measurably better outcomes in attempted-suicide incidents than those relying on outside responders alone.
The Charges Against Clark
Clark was booked into the Baldwin County Jail earlier this week on four additional possession charges after being released from Mobile Metro Jail.
He was initially arrested Sept. 3 and faces 10 charges in Mobile County — five counts of possession and five counts of production of child sexual abuse material.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said the additional charges followed a search of Clark’s Fairhope home conducted with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
The two-county posture of the case reflects where the alleged conduct and evidence are located. Charges filed in Mobile County proceed in Mobile County courts; the Baldwin County counts, arising from the Fairhope search, proceed separately in Baldwin County. A defendant facing charges in two jurisdictions is typically transferred between facilities as each set of charges is processed, which is what occurred here.
Medical License Under Review
Clark’s medical license is also under review by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.
The board is the state agency that licenses physicians in Alabama and, through the Medical Licensure Commission, holds authority to suspend or revoke a license. Administrative action of that kind runs on a track entirely separate from the criminal case. A licensing body applies a different standard of proof than a criminal court and is not required to wait for a criminal verdict before acting to restrict a physician’s ability to practice.
Presumption of Innocence
Clark has not been convicted of any offense. He previously entered a not guilty plea to the Mobile County counts. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, and the charges filed against him remain allegations.
If You Need Help
This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988 in the United States, 24 hours a day. The Crisis Text Line is available by texting HOME to 741741.
Families concerned about an incarcerated relative’s wellbeing can contact the facility directly and ask to speak with medical or mental health staff.
Update: Released From the Hospital, Returned to the Jail’s Medical Wing
Dr. Shawn Clark, 59, was released from the hospital Friday afternoon and is now in the medical wing of the Baldwin County Corrections Center.
Clark was found unconscious in his cell around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17. He was taken by ambulance to North Baldwin Infirmary before being airlifted to USA Health University Hospital.
A Medical License Decision Is Expected Sept. 23
The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners said Thursday that it is seeking to suspend Clark’s medical license. A decision is expected Sept. 23.
The board is the state agency responsible for licensing and disciplining physicians in Alabama. It has authority to suspend, restrict or revoke a license, and can act on an expedited basis when it determines that continued practice would pose a risk to the public. A suspension is an administrative action separate from any criminal proceeding, and it neither depends on nor substitutes for the outcome of the criminal case.
The Charges
Clark was arrested and booked into the Mobile Metro Jail on Sept. 3 on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of producing pornography with minors. He bonded out on Monday, Sept. 14, before being booked into the Baldwin County Jail on four counts of possession of child pornography. His bond in Baldwin County was set at $400,000.
Clark has not been convicted of any offense. He previously entered a not guilty plea to the Mobile County counts. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, and the charges filed against him remain allegations.