JUDGE REVIEWS LIMBAUGH'S MEDICAL DATA

Jurist Searches For Pattern Of Drug Abuse

WEST PALM BEACH -- A Palm Beach County judge ruled Friday that he will
review Rush Limbaugh's medical records in private to determine which of them
will be turned over to prosecutors investigating the conservative radio
host's prescription-drug use.

The ruling by Palm Beach Circuit Judge Thomas Barkdull comes two weeks after
prosecutors told him that they want to see all of Limbaugh's medical records
to determine if he engaged in a pattern of prescription-drug abuse.

During that hearing, Assistant State Attorney James Martz told Barkdull that
the records could show that the conservative radio host engaged in doctor
shopping -- secretly obtaining overlapping prescriptions from different
doctors in one month.

Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, argued that the records should be limited to
the time period between March 2003 and September 2003. Prosecutors cited
prescriptions Limbaugh received during that time to obtain search warrants
for his medical records from four doctors.

Barkdull ruled he would conduct an "inspection of the documents to determine
which documents fall within the scope of the warrants."

The records that are not covered by the search warrants will be returned to
Black, Barkdull ruled. The judge's order also prevents prosecutors from
disclosing any of the records to anyone not involved in the investigation.
The judge did not set out a timetable for his review of the records, which
were seized in late 2003.

Limbaugh, 54, of Palm Beach, has not been charged with any crimes. He fought
prosecutors from gaining access to the sealed records and lost all the way
to the Florida Supreme Court. The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that
prosecutors properly seized the records, but the judges said Black could ask
Barkdull to determine which of them are relevant to the investigation.

Limbaugh had admitted to an addiction to pain medication, attributing it to
severe back pain. He took a five-week leave from his radio show to enter a
rehabilitation program in October 2003.

Peter Franceschina is a reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a
Tribune Publishing newspaper.