Doctors To Go To Trial For Allegedly Selling Pills To Patients
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – She stood outside in the freezing cold waiting. Her name is Patty and her son's a recovering drug addict.
"I just hope they lose their licenses and rot in hell," Patty said.
Those were the words of an angry mother after she showed up at District Justice Charles Christner's office to face doctors Jack Taylor, Mark Boles and Edward Sweeny. Most were there to support the accused, Patty wasn't one of them.
Patty says her son, a former patient of the chiropractor and physicians at the Pittsburgh Healthworx in Belle Vernon, if he needed pills, she says they were happy to oblige for a price. Even though she says they knew he was an addict who needed help, not more pills.
"Seven years," she said, "my son was going to all three of these doctors. There were writing 'scripts for anyone and anything. One month it would be 30 pills, then wait two weeks and get 30 more, then get 60 pills. They had like a scheme going."
Over before it even started, all three doctors waived their cases to court. Dr. Taylor was the alleged ring leader in the scheme. His defense attorney John P. Flannery wouldn't talk about the case, but did say there's other talking going on.
"We've been talking to the government, because they have concerns and we're trying to address those concerns," Flannery said.
However, Mark Serge of the State Attorney General's office said, "There's always talk, but as of right now, no plea agreements with any of the defendants."
The accused doctors are free on bond. Meanwhile, Patty says her son will never be completely free of what she says the three doctors willingly enabled.
"He's three years clean," she said. "I'm thankful for that. I don't know next week if my son's gonna go out and use again, pick up where he left off."
Meanwhile, the state AG's office says in addition to making addicts, the Pittsburgh Healthworx clinic made $2.4 million from patients and insurance companies.
No trial date has been set.
RELATED LINKS
Belle Vernon Doctors Face Charges In Prescription Drug Scheme (1/17/14)
More Reports by Ross Guidotti
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