Pubdate: Wed, 21 Nov 2001
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2001 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.oklahoman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Diana Baldwin

CITY SURGEON PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG COUNTS

Oklahoma City plastic surgeon Dr. Lori Hansen pleaded guilty Tuesday to two 
felony drug charges.

District Judge Virgil Black gave Hansen a one-year deferred sentence for 
her guilty plea to two counts of obtaining a controlled substance by 
misrepresentation.

After sentencing Hansen, Black told the doctor her treatment in the 
judicial system was more severe because she is a public person.

"Thank you for saying you want to do what is right," Black said from the 
bench. "Thank you for what you have done in the last 11/2 years."

Hansen, 47, became the center of an Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and 
Dangerous Drugs Control investigation when she reported she had been 
addicted to drugs on her Aug. 2 renewal application to dispense narcotics.

On Nov. 5, she publicly said she was addicted to painkillers from January 
1997 until June 2000, when her office staff confronted her about her problem.

The judge also ordered Hansen to complete 300 hours of community service, 
with 50 of the hours to be public speaking on chemical dependency. Her 
community service will be supervised by District Attorney Gene Christian, 
the special prosecutor appointed in the case. Christian is head prosecutor 
in Stephens, Grady, Jefferson and Caddo counties.

Hansen must continue counseling and submit to two drug tests a month. She 
must pay $2,370 in fines and court costs.

Hansen's husband, Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane, stood beside 
her, and patted and rubbed her back while she answered the judge's 
questions. Lane continued to embrace his wife as they left the courtroom.

"This has been a tough process, but it has been a just process," Lane said. 
"I'm very proud of my wife."

Lane turned to his wife and said: "You are the finest woman I have ever 
known. I am proud to be married to you."

Hansen smiled as her husband kissed her.

Christian filed the felony charges just over four hours before Hansen was 
scheduled to appear before Black to enter her negotiated plea with Christian.

The special prosecutor said he had three options -- not to file charges, a 
probation agreement with the district attorney or file charges.

"I brought these two counts because based on the facts and circumstances, I 
felt that was proper filing," Christian said earlier Tuesday.

The special prosecutor said the plea agreement was justified because Hansen 
reported her drug problem, sought and still receives treatment, and 
cooperated with the investigation.

"I know there'll be those who think I'm too harsh even in the filing and 
those who think I'm too lenient in the punishment," Christian said.

Christian said the plea agreement doesn't address the status of her medical 
license or her state permit to dispense narcotics.

The Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure has scheduled a Jan. 17 
hearing to determine the status of Hansen's medical license.

Mark Woodward, spokesman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and 
Dangerous Drugs Control, said no action will be taken on her permit to 
dispense narcotics until the licensure board takes action.

Hansen admitted that on May 15, 2000, she wrote a prescription for 
hydrocodone, a painkiller, for Twyla G. Brown. It was filled at Eckerd 
Pharmacy, 12322 N May Ave., for Hansen's use.

The second charge claims on May 19, 2000, she wrote a prescription for the 
same drug in the name of Pam Gibbons and had it filled at Homeland 
Pharmacy, 9320 N Pennsylvania Ave., for her own use.

Christian said he chose those two counts to file because the prescriptions 
were written in the names of Hansen's office manager and household 
employee. He said he did not file on other counts where Hansen took 
hydrocodone from the sample cabinet at her office.

"There would be numerous counts," Christian said. "I didn't go through and 
count."

The felony charge can carry a punishment of up to 20 years in prison and a 
fine of $250,000. Christian said the maximum punishment is written for 
violators who deliver and dispense the drugs to other people when 
prescriptions are obtained by misrepresentation.
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