News (Media Awareness Project) - US FL: Graves Case Adds Up For Santa Rosa |
| Title: | US FL: Graves Case Adds Up For Santa Rosa |
| Published On: | 2002-03-26 |
| Source: | Pensacola News Journal (FL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-30 21:52:17 |
GRAVES CASE ADDS UP FOR SANTA ROSA
Prosecution, Defense Costs Nearly $400,000
The trial of Dr. James Graves has cost Santa Rosa County taxpayers almost
$400,000 - and the bills are still coming in.
Newly released court documents show the defense spent $295,205.21 and the
prosecution about $84,550.73, for a total of $379,755.94.
This is the county's most expensive trial ever, Santa Rosa County Attorney
Tom Dannheisser said.
"I can't remember anything that's been over $100,000," he said. "I've never
seen a case that involves so many medical experts."
Graves, 55, was sentenced Friday to 63 years in prison. The Pace doctor was
convicted Feb. 19 of manslaughter, racketeering and unlawful delivery of a
controlled substance. A jury found he so recklessly prescribed a
combination of drugs, including OxyContin, that he is responsible for the
overdose deaths of four patients.
The prosecution claims Graves made about $500,000 a year from September
1998 to June 2000, the two years he ran his Milton pain management office.
Taxpayers had to pay for Graves' defense because he could not afford to
hire attorneys. Two private defense attorneys were appointed to represent
him because the public defender's office said there was a conflict of
interest: It represented many of the prosecution's witnesses in other cases.
Graves told the News Journal he never has been wealthy. All the money he
earned went into his offices in Milton and Brewton, Ala. The rest he used
to support his family and church charities.
Defense attorneys Ed Ellis and Mike Gibson said the complicated case
required several expert witnesses, who are expensive to hire. Even before
the trial began, they had to interview, under oath, hundreds of witnesses.
The attorneys said they were paid the county rate of $60 an hour for
in-court fees and $40 an hour for out-of-court time.
"There's no question there was a lot of money spent on the defense in this
case," Ellis said. "But the people who got paid the least are the attorneys."
What's next? Taxpayers likely will end up paying even more for Dr. James
Graves' defense because he plans to appeal his conviction. He also faces
additional Medicaid fraud charges.
Prosecution, Defense Costs Nearly $400,000
The trial of Dr. James Graves has cost Santa Rosa County taxpayers almost
$400,000 - and the bills are still coming in.
Newly released court documents show the defense spent $295,205.21 and the
prosecution about $84,550.73, for a total of $379,755.94.
This is the county's most expensive trial ever, Santa Rosa County Attorney
Tom Dannheisser said.
"I can't remember anything that's been over $100,000," he said. "I've never
seen a case that involves so many medical experts."
Graves, 55, was sentenced Friday to 63 years in prison. The Pace doctor was
convicted Feb. 19 of manslaughter, racketeering and unlawful delivery of a
controlled substance. A jury found he so recklessly prescribed a
combination of drugs, including OxyContin, that he is responsible for the
overdose deaths of four patients.
The prosecution claims Graves made about $500,000 a year from September
1998 to June 2000, the two years he ran his Milton pain management office.
Taxpayers had to pay for Graves' defense because he could not afford to
hire attorneys. Two private defense attorneys were appointed to represent
him because the public defender's office said there was a conflict of
interest: It represented many of the prosecution's witnesses in other cases.
Graves told the News Journal he never has been wealthy. All the money he
earned went into his offices in Milton and Brewton, Ala. The rest he used
to support his family and church charities.
Defense attorneys Ed Ellis and Mike Gibson said the complicated case
required several expert witnesses, who are expensive to hire. Even before
the trial began, they had to interview, under oath, hundreds of witnesses.
The attorneys said they were paid the county rate of $60 an hour for
in-court fees and $40 an hour for out-of-court time.
"There's no question there was a lot of money spent on the defense in this
case," Ellis said. "But the people who got paid the least are the attorneys."
What's next? Taxpayers likely will end up paying even more for Dr. James
Graves' defense because he plans to appeal his conviction. He also faces
additional Medicaid fraud charges.
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