PERRY DOCTOR NOW FACES SIX MURDER CHARGES

PERRY - A Perry doctor accused last year of murder in the death of a Jesup
man now faces six counts of murder, plus numerous drug charges, following
his indictment Tuesday by a Houston County grand jury.

Dr. Spurgeon Green, charged with one count of murder last August in Wayne
County, is accused by Houston County authorities of six counts of felony
murder, 24 counts of unlawful prescribing of a controlled substance and
five counts of unlawful prescribing or ordering of a dangerous drug.

The hometowns of the six people allegedly killed by Green were not spelled
out in the indictment.

Houston County District Attorney Kelly Burke said late Tuesday he could not
immediately recall the locations of the people, but he said they were from
various locations in Georgia. According to the indictment, their names were
James Eugene Carr, Elmer Lee Teal Jr., Belinda Kay Maya, Melissa Marl
Allen, Thomas Edward Bacigalupo and David Barbari.

Barbari, of Jesup, is the person Green was accused of killing in Wayne
County. Burke said he's been working with Wayne County authorities, and a
judge will decide which county prosecutes Green for Barbari's death, which
occurred in April 2003.

The indictment accuses Green of unlawfully prescribing various drugs to the
six people without a legitimate medical purpose, causing their deaths. The
drugs varied from person to person, but included OxyContin, methadone and
diazepam, as well as other drugs. Some were classified as controlled
substances, others were merely called dangerous drugs.

Several of the drug charges stem from additional prescriptions, on other
dates, given to the same people who died. Other drug charges involve
different individuals named in the indictment but not identified by address.

Burke said the drug charges involve people from several locations in the
Southeast, not just Georgia. The indictment alleges the crimes took place
in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Burke said a jury would have to decide whether the medications Green
allegedly prescribed illegally were excessive, or whether the individuals
should have been getting the medications at all.

He said the indictments "were the result of a very in-depth, thorough
investigation, primarily by the (Houston County) sheriff's office, with
assistance from other agencies." He called it a "very complicated"
investigation.

Green's state license to practice medicine was suspended three days after
he was charged in Wayne County. A few weeks after his arrest there, Green
was released from jail after posting a $250,000 bond. Green is a pain
specialist who had been in private practice for nearly 30 years.

Burke said that with Green's new indictments here, the physician will be
rearrested. Burke said Tuesday evening that had not yet happened, but would
happen soon.

Green's attorney, O. Hale Almand Jr. of Macon, said when contacted at his
home Tuesday evening that he was not aware of the additional charges
against Green.

"It's news to me," Almand said. He said he would have no comment until he
investigated what had transpired.

Burke said he had not yet made a decision about the type of penalty he
would seek if Green is convicted of murder, but the death penalty is an option.

"We've got that decision to make," he said.