PROSECUTORS FIND NO EVIDENCE OF OVERDOSES

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Prosecutors found no evidence to support a
former medical examiner's claims that hospice and hospital caregivers
gave morphine overdoses to 19 terminally ill patients.

State Attorney John Tanner formally ended the investigation Friday
into charges made last May by Dr. Ronald Reeves, who was suspended
within days and resigned last October with a $216,990 settlement.

Reeves raised questions about patient deaths at Hospice of
Volusia/Flagler and Halifax Medical Center and labeled four of them
homicides.

``In searching all the facts we looked for evidence of a crime or
wrongdoing and found none,'' Tanner said. ``We looked at patterns to
see if the same nurse's aide or doctor was involved and found nothing.''

Reeves went public with his allegations without completing his
investigations. Tanner said Reeves never came forward to investigators
to support his claims.

A toxicologist with the University of Florida who initially supported
Reeves' claims also announced through Tanner's office that none of the
patients whose blood he analyzed ``died as a result of drug overdose,
a homicide or any unlawful act.''

Dr. Richard Weiss, a hospice oncologist, was glad to hear the
news.

``We regret that any of the 19 families had to suffer through an
investigation incited by ignorance,'' he said. ``All we desire is to
continue to provide quality and expert care to those facing
end-of-life issues.''

In July, Reeves' claims were deemed ``foolhardy'' by a national panel
of medical experts with no local ties.

At the request of Tanner's investigator, Dr. Pierson Clack, Manatee
County medical examiner, examined each case.

``I reviewed all of the medical records and ... my opinions and my
impressions were that I concur with the panel,'' he said.

The hospice death of Leda Bouchard, 62, last May was labeled
``homicide by morphine overdose'' by Reeves, but her death certificate
has since been changed to state she died of cancer.

``We knew it all along. Hospice didn't do anything,'' said her son,
Guy Bouchard. ``Hospice care meant so much during my mother's illness.
I'm glad they were cleared of everything. I'm glad it's finally over.''

Tanner said he hoped his findings would help the families
involved.

``We want the community to know that we did as thorough a job as we
could do,'' he said.