DRUG LAWYER FACES MARIJUANA CHARGES

A lawyer who specialized in helping drug defendants kick the habit until
his arrest on cocaine charges in February was indicted Tuesday on six
marijuana-related charges.

Former Assistant Public Defender Damon Amedeo, 30, now faces nine felony
charges in a federal investigation begun after Douglas D. Rozelle III, 18,
was found dead Jan. 6 in the lawyer's bedroom. Amedeo had been representing
Rozelle in a drug case.

During Amedeo's time with the Public Defender's Office, he had helped
coordinate Palm Beach County's Drug Court. He left the office in January
2001 and began working at the law practice of Rozelle's father, Douglas
Rozelle Jr.

Federal agents arrested Amedeo in February after finding a videotape in the
attorney's West Palm Beach apartment apparently showing him snorting
cocaine and smoking marijuana with Rozelle, according to court records. The
footage was shot sometime between October and Rozelle's death.

Amedeo was indicted in March on two counts of supplying cocaine to Rozelle
and an unidentified man and on a third charge of possessing firearms while
doing drugs. Amedeo has never faced charges related to Rozelle's death.

In Tuesday's indictment, Amedeo was charged with possessing marijuana and
giving the drug to Rozelle and four other men between the ages of 18 and 21.

Federal prosecutors have alleged in court records that between September
and early January, Amedeo regularly invited Rozelle and Rozelle's friends
to his West Palm Beach apartment to use drugs.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Reinhart could not be reached for comment
Tuesday on the additional charges. Amedeo could face up to 10 years in
prison for each of the five counts of supplying marijuana to Rozelle and
Rozelle's friends.

Amedeo's attorneys said Tuesday they are mystified why Amedeo is being
prosecuted in federal court for what at worst is alleged to be small
quantities of drugs for recreational use. Typically, such charges are filed
in state court, they said.

"In my 22 years of practice I have never seen a federal prosecution with
this level of drug usage," said Jack Goldberger, one of Amedeo's attorneys.
"I have no idea what is motivating the government to do what it is doing."

James Eisenberg, Amedeo's other attorney, said Tuesday that drug tests
showed that Amedeo had only marijuana in his system shortly after Rozelle's
death. Authorities have refused to release Rozelle's autopsy report.

"There's no hint of foul play," Eisenberg said. "It appears someone who had
voluntarily taken drugs had an accidental overdose."