Florida Doctor Convicted in Oxycontin-Related Death Cases

By Elizabeth Rhein

Published on February 03, 2006

Dr. Merrill was accused of such charges as illegally dispensing controlled substances, wire fraud, and defrauding of health care benefit programs. These violations, it was alleged, caused the death of five patients who were wrongfully prescribed or given the addictive painkillers Oxycontin (oxycodone), morphine, and fentanyl.

The prosecutor in the case outlined Dr. Merrill's actions over the last several years, noting that the physician penned 33,000 prescriptions in just over three years; four in every five prescriptions were for a habit-forming pain pill.

In contrast, Dr. Merrill's defense explained to the jury that the patients in question had falsely represented their pain symptoms in an effort to get more medication and then mixed the legal pain pills with other substances such as marijuana and cocaine.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement began investigating Dr. Merrill's practice in 2003, after which the state suspended his license. He was found guilty on 98 of 100 counts and faces the possibility of life in prison. Dr. Merrill's sentencing is scheduled for April 21.

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