Pubdate: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 Source: Macon Telegraph (GA) Copyright: 2004 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company Contact: http://www.macontelegraph.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667 Author: Julie Hubbard, Telegraph Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain) VICTIMS' FAMILIES SHOCKED BY GREEN'S INDICTMENT WARNER ROBINS - It was hard enough getting over the death of her first-born son Elmer, who died of a drug overdose three years ago, Julia Teal said on Thursday. But now this. Now she's having to relive those memories and all those emotions after hearing news reports this week that a Perry doctor who specialized in the treatment of chronic pain had been indicted by a grand jury for Elmer's death. "It's a total shock, a slap in the face," said Teal, 69, of Warner Robins. "I hadn't gotten over losing him. You see (reports) he was murdered. You don't know what to think." Dr. Spurgeon Green is alleged to have prescribed Xanax, OxyContin and other pain medications without any justified medical reason, to Elmer and five other victims. The drugs eventually led to their deaths, according to the indictment. The names, addresses and birthdays of the alleged victims were released Thursday by the Houston County District Attorney's Office. They include: . Elmer Lee Teal Jr., a disabled, former auto-mechanic, of 211 Sunstede Road, Warner Robins, who died Jan. 19, 2001, at age 46. . Belinda Kay Maya, a licensed practical nurse, of 135 Elaine Drive, Red Fox Run Mobile Home Park, Lot 88, in Houston County, who died June 19, 2002, at age 46. . Thomas Edward Bacigalupo, a disabled man, of 626 Gawin Drive, in Warner Robins, who died Jan. 14, 2003, at Houston Medical Center at age 44. . Melissa Allen, of 201 Quacco Road, Lot 1190, in Savannah, who died sometime after Sept. 10, 2002 at about age 30. . James Eugene Carr, of 5405 Houston Road, Lot 38, in Macon, who died Dec. 14, 2001, at age 49. . David Wayne Barbari, of Four Seasons Apartments, No. 10, in Jesup, who died in April 2003 at age 40. Julia Teal and Belinda Kay Maya's family said Thursday they were never notified of the Green case and still didn't know what to think. "No one knows there was an investigation," said Bill Swinford of Bonaire. He is Maya's older brother and works as a sales manager at Warner Robins Ford Lincoln Mercury. "I was having my morning coffee, reading the paper. ... What really caught my attention was one of the names (of the alleged victims) was the son of an employee, and then I read on down and read my sister's name. "To say I was shocked was an understatement," said Swinford. Maya took medicine for her severe back pain after she fell a few years earlier, Swinford said. He said he was unaware of Maya getting prescriptions from Dr. Green. "We were all shocked (by her death)," he said. "There was a lot of question about it. One of my sisters was convinced there was something to it." The family was told Maya had had congestive heart failure, Swinford said. Her death certificate, obtained Thursday by The Telegraph from the Houston County Probate Court, lists her cause of death as "morphine toxicity" from an "overdose of medicine." Swinford had recalled seeing the stories in the newspaper about Green's first indictment a year ago, but never thought anything about his sister, he said. "Obviously, if this has happened, the grand jury indictment, I think there's some merit to this (case)," he said. "There's no excuse for abuse on any side." Maya left behind a grown daughter, who lives in Florida, and a teenage stepson living in Warner Robins, Swinford said. According to Julia Teal, Elmer left behind a 21-year-old son of Warner Robins. Elmer, she said, had been sick with heart problems when he died, but she was unaware of his visits with Green. His death certificate, obtained Thursday, lists his cause of death as "drug intoxication" from an "ingestion of multiple drugs." "He was my number one, first-born. That was the way he signed everything he gave me," Julia said. "I want (Green) off the street." According to Houston County District Attorney Kelly Burke, Green will be allowed to turn himself in next week at a bond hearing that has not yet been set. It was the death of Barbari in April 2003 that led to Green's first murder indictment issued in Wayne County. After a lengthy law enforcement investigation, Green was indicted Tuesday by a Houston County grand jury on six murder charges and 29 charges of unlawfully prescribing controlled substances or dangerous drugs. Green's attorney, O. Hale Almand Jr. of Macon, said Wednesday that his client is innocent and that, "Dr. Green's treatment of his patients is consistent with acceptable medical practices as will be clearly demonstrated at his trial on the indictment." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake