DEA RETURNS PATIENT RECORDS

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration returned 30 cartons of patient
records to Dr. Joseph Talley on Wednesday.

"My waiting room is full of boxes," Talley said. "This should help some of
my patients get in to see doctors now. We will make copies of records for
patients. All they have to do is come by to get them."

The DEA confiscated all of Dr. Talley's patient records on January 28 when
that agency served him with a show cause order that accuses him of
overprescribing narcotics, linking him to 23 patient deaths. Talley said
the DEA took about 4,000 records.

The DEA also suspended the use of Talley's DEA number so he could not
prescribe controlled substances.

"No doctor will see you if you don't have your records," Sally Bland of
Spartanburg said.

Mrs. Bland and her husband, Richard, have been patients of Talley for about
five years, she said. They both have back problems and have had numerous
surgeries.

"We have tried to see several doctors, and they are OK with you until you
tell them that you were a Dr. Talley patient," Mrs. Bland said. "When they
find out that you have seen Dr. Talley they tell you that they are not
taking new patients."

Mrs. Bland is waiting to have spinal-fusion surgery and has been going to a
pain clinic in South Carolina. However, she has had trouble finding a
general practitioner to take care of her high blood pressure and high
cholesterol, she said.

"I feel for Dr. Talley," Mrs. Bland said. "I got close to him. We've been
praying for him."

Talley said the DEA kept 120 records to "use in their case" against him.

No date has been set for Talley's hearing in front of the DEA.

After a three-day hearing last month in front of the N.C. Medical Board,
the board found Talley deviated from standard and acceptable practices with
a number of his patients by failing to routinely perform adequate physical
examinations.

On April 18, the Medical Board is expected to render its punishment, which
means the board could revoke Talley's medical license, suspend his license,
or stay a license suspension provided he meets specific stipulations.

The final hearing is expected to start at 1 p.m. and will be held in Raleigh.

In an earlier interview with The Star, Talley said he expects the state
board to take his license but he still thinks he was doing the right thing.

"I think the community is better off than not because of the way I
practiced medicine."