LINDHOLM QUITS AFTER DRUG RAID

Pharmaceuticals Seized From Medical Examiner's Home

Dr. George Lindholm, the Spokane County medical examiner and a respected
forensic pathologist, quit his job Friday after drug agents raided his
Colbert home.

The Thursday afternoon search was led by the Washington State Patrol and
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It included officers from the Quad
Cities Drug Task Force in Whitman County.

Lindholm was not arrested, and so far isn't facing criminal charges. A law
enforcement official said authorities found a small number of marijuana
plants and a large amount of prescription drugs at his house.

In an interview Friday, Lindholm said: "It's a situation related to
depression, a divorce and a bad choice. I'm not going to pretend that I did
the right thing. It's bad judgment."

Whitman County Sheriff Steve Tomson said the investigation was based out of
Seattle and spearheaded by a state patrol detective, working with the DEA,
who focused on the misuse of prescription medications. It's possible,
Tomson said, that Lindholm's case may be handled at the federal level.

Capt. Eric Robertson of the State Patrol said the case remains open. He was
unable to provide additional details.

Robertson said he had "no idea" why Lindholm wasn't taken into custody,
although it was the state patrol's decision not to make an arrest.

"As an assisting agency, we had no input into the decision to arrest or
not," Tomson said. "I probably would have arrested him had it occurred in
this county and we were running the case."

Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk was briefed on the Lindholm investigation
at the outset, Tomson said. Spokane authorities did not play an active role
to avoid the appearance of conflict, Tomson said.

As medical examiner, Lindholm worked closely with law enforcement,
investigating unattended deaths, performing autopsies and testifying at trials.

County Administrator Fran Boxer said Lindholm was replaced by his deputy,
Dr. Sally Aiken.

A search process for a new medical examiner will probably be considered
next week, said Spokane County Commissioner Kate McCaslin.

"George is a fine pathologist and has done well and we appreciate his
work," she said.

Commissioner Phil Harris said he could not comment specifically about the
investigation, but he praised Lindholm's efforts. "He's a great guy. I
think it's tragic. I guess humans err."

Don Westerman, director of the Spokane County Public Defender's Office,
said he is stunned by Lindholm's departure.

"We didn't always see eye-to-eye on everything, but I had nothing but
respect for the good doctor," he said.

Lindholm, who is in his mid-50s, was hired as medical examiner in 1999, as
the county abandoned its coroner system for conducting autopsies. He has
spent about 16 years performing autopsies in Spokane and North Idaho,
playing a crucial part in the region's biggest crimes, such as the serial
killer investigation.

The county's last elected coroner, Dr. Dexter Amend, became the target of
numerous lawsuits, accusing him of misconduct and invasion of privacy.

Public officials viewed Lindholm as a talented physician, capable of
running an efficient office that would move beyond Amend's troubles.

Lindholm spent Friday afternoon at his home in Colbert, where he lives with
his four children, ages 8 through 19.

The small wooden sign above his dining room door hints at the root of his
troubles, he said. It reads: "Love is GRAND! Divorce is 20 grand!"

After he and his wife, Ronnie, split up, Lindholm said he became seriously
depressed and began drinking more in the evenings. Things became even worse
after their divorce was final last December.

He said he also smokes pot occasionally and this summer decided to try
growing a few marijuana plants next to a small jungle of eggplants, beans
and tomatoes in his backyard greenhouse. "Just out of curiosity," he said.

"I can't remember the last time I smoked it. I'm not coming to work on pot."

Lindholm, who used to grow dahlias commercially, also tends raspberries and
a huge backyard vegetable garden.

On Friday, two plastic potting containers that Lindholm said once held
small marijuana plants were empty except for a few stray leaves. "It's not
a grow operation," he said. "I don't sell it."

Lindholm said he did take some prescription drugs that belonged to people
he performed autopsies on. According to laboratory procedure, medications
belonging to the deceased are locked up for three months and then thrown
away, Lindholm said.

"That's not a good system," he added. "They'll probably change it. It's too
tempting."

Lindholm said he took drugs from the trash on occasion because he thought
it was a waste of good medication. He said he sometimes used Norvasc for
high blood pressure and tetracycline, an antibiotic, and stored the rest at
his home.

Lindholm said his ex-wife called to tell him she'd reported him to the DEA.

"It was a neat wake-up call, thanks to Ronnie," he said, smoking a cigarette.

Former County Coroner Graham McConnell thought highly of Lindholm's work,
adding: "I think marijuana should be decriminalized when it's used
medically and personally. George should be defended under the Americans
with Disabilities Act and probably should be treated instead of punished."

Lindholm said he is looking into an alcohol treatment program and wants to
pull his life back together. He hopes to work as a forensic pathologist
again someday.

"I guarantee you I have the guts to quit drinking. I don't know if I have
the guts to get over Ronnie," he said.

.Staff writers Kevin Blocker and Hannelore Sudermann contributed to this report.