WEAPONS FACTOR IN DOCTOR'S HEARING

FLORENCE - Guns, gun parts, thousands of rounds of ammunition and books on
how to make machine guns and hide assets were among items seized from Dr.
D. Michael Woodward's office last year, according to court testimony Wednesday.

Woodward, 45, is among several doctors charged in connection with a federal
investigation involving the unlawful distribution of OxyContin and other
pain medications at the defunct Comprehensive Care & Pain Management Clinic
in Myrtle Beach.

He's facing up to life in prison if convicted on charges of unlawful
distribution of controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute controlled
substances outside the usual course of medical practice and money launder-ing.

Woodward appeared in federal court in Florence with his attorneys, Joseph
McCullough and William Watkins, seeking a reduction in the $250,000 bond
set shortly after his arrest last month. After about two hours of
testimony, Judge Thomas Rogers III denied the defense's motion, citing
concerns about Woodward's risk to flee prosecution and threats government
witnesses alleged Woodward made in the past.

"And the mere existence of these guns does give me concern," the judge
said, pointing to the seizure of 21 firearms and about 17,000 rounds of
ammunition found in Woodward's office at the Myrtle Beach pain clinic in
May 2001.

Woodward was the owner and executive director of the clinic, where
authorities say hundreds of patients a day visited and received pain
medications from doctors who worked there.

Other doctors charged in the case include Michael D. Jackson, 55; Thomas P.
Dublin, 60; Deborah B. Sutherland, 52; Deborah Bordeaux, 50; Ricardo
Alerre, 72; and Venkata R. Pulivarthi, 42.

Woodward has been living for the past 10 months in Florida with his wife
and three children. He was pursuing a certification in neurology, hoping to
resume the practice of medicine.

Woodward's wife attended Wednesday's hearing and the two often exchanged
glances and smiles before the hearing.

U.S. assistant attorneys William Day and Deborah Barbier called several
witnesses connected to the investigation in an attempt to show Woodward was
a danger to the community and a flight risk.

Harry Bracy, a special investigator with the S.C. Attorney General's Office
and a former investigator with the S.C. Board of Medical Examiners,
testified he first met Woodward in 1994 when a patient of Woodward's
alleged the doctor sexually assaulted her.

Bracy testified two other women who worked with Woodward said the doctor
made threats against them. One woman told Bracy that Woodward once
commented he'd taken part in a killing in Georgia and dumped the body in a
river.

Bracy also said another of Woodward's employees told the investigator
Woodward had made a death threat against Bracy.

"I got a call late at night by an employee of the defendant to warn me I
was not going to see 2000," Bracy said. The alleged threat occurred in
1995, Bracy said.

Woodward's attorney asked Bracy why none of the women went to the police
about the threats, why Bracy failed to check out Woodward's comment about
the Georgia killing and why he never followed up on Woodward's alleged
threat against him.

"Is it because you never placed any credence in that?" McCullough said.
Bracy acknowledged he did not follow up on the Georgia allegation.

The defense attorney also pointed out that a couple of the women recanted
their statements about the alleged threats. He called them unsubstantiated
assertions.

Drug Enforcement Administration investigator Adam Roberson testified other
employees of Woodward said the doctor made statements he was connected to
the mafia and had means to cause harm.

One doctor, Benjamin Moore, 45, who had recently pleaded guilty on charges
of unlawful distribution of OxyContin, conspiracy to commit health care
fraud and conspiracy to launder money and was awaiting sentencing in
connection with the investigation, committed suicide last week. He was
facing up to 45 years in prison.

Roberson said Moore was cooperating with the government, was aware of
Woodward's firearms and told investigators Woodward threatened to have him
killed after learning Moore spoke to the DEA.

Woodward's attorney downplayed the government's seizure of firearms,
ammunition and books, saying his client broke no laws by having them in his
office.

McCullough also suggested the books belonged to other doctors in the
practice and that others had access to Woodward's office. And he said
Moore's credibility was compromised because he suffered from a mental
illness and was taking medications for it.

INFO:
Background

Seven Myrtle Beach doctors are charged in a federal investigation of
illegal distribution of controlled substances, including OxyContin,
involving the now-closed Comprehensive Care & Pain Management Clinic in
Myrtle Beach.