Los Angeles – An emergency medicine resident at the embattled Martin Luther King Jr/Drew Medical Center has been charged with stealing a hand from a cadaver in New Jersey and giving it to an exotic dancer.

Ahmed Rashed, 26, faces up to 10 years in prison for allegedly nabbing the left hand of a cadaver around June 2002 while he was a medical student at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

He turned himself in to New Jersey authorities September 18, after being charged with second-degree theft, the Los Angeles Times reported. He is free on $1 000 (about R7 700) bail.

Los Angeles County health officials said they could not comment on personnel matters, but confirmed Rashed is an employee at the medical center.

King-Drew would have had no way of knowing about the accusations against Rashed when he was hired last year. The hospital, however, has allowed the second-year resident to continue treating patients since the charges were filed last month.

Judson Hamlin, an assistant Middlesex County prosecutor, said police discovered the hand in a glass jar at the home of the exotic dancer during a separate investigation. Rashed and the dancer, Linda Kay, were reportedly acquaintances, the prosecutor said. – Sapa-AP