A New York surgeon suing his estranged wife for the kidney he donated to her admits it was he who turned his divorce case into a media circus, his lawyer said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The case got even more complex Wednesday when Richard Batista's lawyer held a news conference to talk about Batista's former fiancee, Newsday reported. Pamela Rathburn-Ray held her own news conference Tuesday to claim that he physically abused her during their engagement 20 years ago.

"It turned out to be a Jerry Springer show," Batista said.

Batista, a vascular surgeon at Nassau University Medical Center, denies hitting Pamela Rathburn-Ray. His wife, Dawnell Batista, has requested that Rathburn-Ray testify at their divorce trial.

"I never laid a hand on her," Batista said.

Batista is seeking either the kidney or $1.5 million. He says he took action because his wife would not let him see his children.