[Pharmwaste] FW: Doctor Pleads Guilty ( Unused medicine in office)

[gressitt]

Luke Broadwater, The Examiner 
Read more by _Luke Broadwater_ 
(http://www.examiner.com/Topic-By_Luke_Broadwater.html)   
Feb 15, 2007 3:00 AM (1 day ago)
Current rank: # 542 of  14,849 articles BALTIMORE - Dr.  Nelson H. Hendler 
pleaded guilty to a drug distribution charge in Baltimore  County Circuit Court —
but maintained his innocence and avoided a conviction.  

“He absolutely believes he is innocent, as do I,” Hendler’s attorney  Brian 
Thompson said. “He was being threatened with a federal indictment. Because  
they suspended his license to practice, he didn’t have the resources to defend  
himself. They basically had him between a rock and a hard place.”  

Hendler, 63, of Owings Mills, entered an Alford plea Monday to one count  of 
possession with the intent to distribute drugs, including OxyContin — meaning  
Hendler denies any involvement in criminal activity but acknowledges 
prosecutors  have enough evidence to convict him. 

Judge Kathleen G. Cox sentenced  Hendler, an accomplished and award-winning 
psychiatrist, to probation before  judgment, which allows him to avoid a 
conviction. Cox then ordered him to serve  18 months of supervised probation. 

Thompson said Hendler’s unsupervised  probation will begin after he completes 
150 hours of community service.  

The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended Hendler’s license on Feb. 6,  
2006, when it concluded he distributed returned drugs to other patients and had  
sexual misconduct with three patients. 

A Baltimore County grand jury  indicted him on drug distribution charges in 
May. 

Thompson said the  sexual misconduct findings of the physicians board have no 
merit and were never  charged criminally. 

“His primary mistake was he failed to properly  dispose of narcotics,” 
Thompson said. “He kept them in a locked office and  didn’t destroy them. He had 
no nefarious intent. He didn’t know what to do with  them. If he’s putting 
them out on the street, then why did he have all these old  prescriptions in his 
office?” 

Last year, police searched Hendler’s  Mensana Clinic in Stevenson and found 
5,800 pills, including OxyContin, that  should have been destroyed. Police said 
the large amount shows Hendler intended  to distribute the drugs. 

In a separate civil case, an anonymous woman  filed a lawsuit against Hendler 
in December alleging he sexually abused her  while she was sedated. 

Thompson said Hendler’s guilty plea this week  will not affect the civil 
case. 

“The subject matter is completely  different,” he said. “There was no 
criminal allegation of impropriety with any  patient female or otherwise.” 

lbroadwater at baltimoreexaminer.com 




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