wmlro.com: still not trophy for Schneider in "pill mill" trial
The trial of Kansas doctor Stephen Schneider and his nurse wife Linda is dragging inexorably towards a conclusion. The pair deny running a "pill mill" which allegedly led to the fatal overdosing of 68 patients and laundering the proceeds.
The Schneiders were arrested in mid 2008 but their trial did not begin until April this year.
The US Attorney's case is that Schneider "illegally prescribed painkillers" that directly led to the deaths of 21 persons and indirectly to a total of 68.
The case against Linda Schneider is that she was, in effect, the practice manager in which capacity she was largely responsible for hiring and firing staff. However, she allegedly hired unqualified and inexperienced staff including an illegal immigrant - claiming that the latter was her adopted son. It is also alleged that she would sign prescriptions using her husband's name.
The Schneider Clinic had a significantly higher prescription ratio than normal with patients' prescriptions being renewed much more frequently than is either normal or safe, allege prosecutors. More, drugs were prescribed in combinations that were inherently harmful, it is claimed.
Over a period of six years, prosecutors say, the clinic billed in excess of USD10 million for drugs and services.
As the prosecution evidence has unfolded, a former nursing assistant told how she reported to Schneider that a patient had died following an overdose: she claimed that his response was "oh, well."
Another witness, allowed to give evidence being identified only by her first name, said that she went to the clinic because she was addicted to painkillers and it was a known source of supply. She said that the waiting room had several people who to her were clearly suffering signs of the same addiction - sweating and shaking. "There you got what you ordered," she told the Court.
Yesterday, Schneider began giving evidence. He said that there was no conspiracy with his wife, that there was an IT manager who handled much of the business aspects of the clinic and denied that his actions could have led to any of the deaths.
Both defendants are charged with a range of offences including laundering the profits of unnecessary prescriptions.
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