Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 Source: New Haven Register (CT) Copyright: 1999, New Haven Register Contact: http://www.ctcentral.com/cgi-bin/w3com/start?ctcentral+FrontPage Forum: http://www.ctcentral.com/ Author: William Kaempffer MAN SEEKS PROGRAM TO ERASE DRUG ARREST NEW HAVEN - A prominent defense attorney arrested in May for alleged cocaine possession applied Tuesday for a special program for first-time offenders that would clear his record. Richard P. Silverstein, 42, applied for the community service labor program during a court appearance in Superior Court. The program is usually offered to first-time drug offenders. If accepted, a judge would prescribe the term of probation and Silverstein would have to complete community service. Silverstein has no prior drug arrests. Police arrested Silverstein in Fair Haven on May 12 after undercover police officers spotted him allegedly buying drugs, police said. Officers stopped his car and reportedly found several pieces of crack cocaine, police said. Silverstein entered an out-of-state drug rehabilitation program after his arrest. "Rich is someone who fought hard for his clients and he's fighting his own problems with the same intensity," said William F. Dow III, Silverstein's attorney in the drug case. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake