Huwitz: Half is better than none

But it's still bull***. This will be a cut and past job via notepad so no
attachments and all .txt.
I still cant buy the line of 1,600 pills per day after their gaff at the
last trial. The whole thing reeks of DEA mathematical gymnastics and manure
and why was there no change of venue after the Washington Post splashed
their "error" of 64,000 pills a day for one patient. At least they didn't
fail to mention CP'ers. Now we look like stupid junkies instead of some
other kind (is there any other kind?)

Pardon the editorial--og
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** Va. doctor convicted of drug trafficking**

A pain-management doctor who prescribed large amounts of opiates and drew
patients from across the country to his northern Virginia clinic has been
convicted on 16 counts of drug trafficking by a federal jury.

The jury acquitted William E. Hurwitz on 17 other counts on Friday, and a
judge dismissed 17 others, including the most serious charge - drug
trafficking resulting in death.

It was the second time in three years that a federal jury convicted Hurwitz
of drug trafficking. His 2004 conviction - and 25-year prison sentence - was
tossed out by a federal appeals court, which ruled that a judge improperly
barred the jury from considering whether Hurwitz was acting in good faith.

Hurwitz faces up to 20 years on each count when he is sentenced on July 13.

Prosecutors argued that Hurwitz was no better than a common drug dealer who
ignored obvious signs that his patients were dealers or addicts.

"Drug traffickers come in all shapes and sizes - this one just happened to
wear a white coat and be a doctor," U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said in a
statement issued after the verdict.

Numerous patients had prescriptions for hundreds of pills a day, and one had
a prescription for 1,600 pills a day. Several of his former patients
testified against him, and prosecutors played tapes of conversations in
which Hurwitz seemed to know that his patients were selling their
prescriptions.

Defense lawyers argued that Hurwitz was one of a handful of doctors in the
country who was willing to risk persecution by authorities and prescribe the
doses necessary to alleviate patients from crippling pain.

Several of his former patients and their family members testified on his
behalf.

Hurwitz, whose high-profile advocacy of high-dose opioid treatment once
landed him on "60 Minutes," has been scrutinized by authorities for decades,
and has had his medical license suspended twice, in 1991 and 1996.

Between 1998 and 2002, Hurwitz drew more than 400 patients from 39 states to
his clinic in McLean. Prosecutors said the waiting room was frequently
occupied by stoned or sleeping patients with track marks on their arms.

The case against Hurwitz was part of a long-running federal, state and local
investigation dubbed "Operation Cotton Candy" that netted more than 130
convictions in Virginia and elsewhere for drug trafficking and prescription
fraud of Oxycontin and other drugs.

Numerous physician and patient advocacy groups supported Hurwitz, and said
his case should be dealt with by state medical boards rather than criminal
courts. Hurwitz received extensive pro bono legal assistance at his second
trial.

Calls to Hurwitz's lead attorney, Richard Sauber, placed late Friday were
not immediately returned.




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