Pubdate: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 Source: United Press International Copyright: 1999 United Press International Note: Headline by editor COCAINE USE RELEVANT TO FORMER CELTIC LEWIS' MALPRACTICE CASE Judge Rules Against Lewis's Widow BOSTON, April 22 (UPI) - A judge has ruled that allegations the late Boston Celtics star Reggie Lewis used cocaine is a ``relevant issue'' in his widow's malpractice suit against four doctors. Donna Harris-Lewis had sought to prevent testimony about her husband's possible use of cocaine at the upcoming trial against Dr. Gilbert Mudge and three other doctors, saying the allegations were just an attempt to trash her husband's good name. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thayer Fremont-Smith yesterday, however, rejected her motion and said that if a person uses cocaine, ``it can cause structural damage to the heart'' and ``does become relevant in my mind.'' Harris-Lewis claims her husband did not use cocaine, and is suing the doctors, alleging they failed to properly diagnose his heart disease. Lewis died in 1993 while shooting baskets at Brandeis University. - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry