Defrocked Kansas City priest no longer has valid medical licenses

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A former Kansas City priest who was defrocked last year following an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse no longer has valid licenses to practice medicine in Kansas and Missouri, according to registration records.

John Wisner's licenses to practice as a psychiatrist remained active for months after the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas removed him from the clergy over credible allegations he abused three minors decades ago. Kansas registration records now list Wisner's medical license as inactive, while Missouri's professional registration agency said Wisner's license has lapsed because it wasn't renewed, the Kansas City Star reported.

Wisner's medical license in Kansas wasn't due to expire until July 31.

Kansas uses the designation of "inactive" for a person who isn't regularly practicing medicine in the state and "who does not hold oneself out to the public as being professionally engaged in such practice," said Kathleen Selzler Lippert, executive director of the State Board of Healing Arts.

Selzler Lippert declined to comment on whether Wisner's license had been revoked. No disciplinary records involving Wisner are listed on the board's website.

Wisner's medical license wasn't revoked in Missouri, said Lori Croy, communications director for the state's Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration.

Wisner was among the 22 priests the Kansas City archdiocese publicly named in January for having substantiated claims of sexual abuse over the past 75 years. Wisner, who was ordained in 1972, worked at Sacred Heart and Christ the King parishes in Kansas City, as well as St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee.

His role as a psychiatrist included serving for several years as an expert witness in many civil and criminal trials, including high-profile murder cases and those involving sexual abuse.

Wisner, 72, has declined to comment on the abuse allegations. His attorney, Carl Cornwell, didn't respond to the newspaper's request for comment.

Rebecca Randles has represented hundreds of sexual abuse victims as an attorney in Kansas City, Missouri. She said Wisner's medical license status brings both relief and concern.

"Because his license lapsed or was not renewed, the board likely lost jurisdiction to act on it," Randles said.

Wisner could seek reinstatement of his medical license in the state or elsewhere, she said.