LORI HANSEN: FAIRNESS, RESTRAINT NEEDED

Lori Hansen, a prominent Oklahoma City woman, is respected for her
professional accomplishments. She became a national figure after the bombing
of the Murrah Building due to her work with women here and elsewhere who
have faced the trauma of disfiguring injuries. Dr. Hansen, a plastic surgeon
in Oklahoma City and wife of District Attorney Wes Lane, faces a challenge
to her medical license, after self-reporting a drug addiction that ended in
June 2000. Hansen revealed the problem on her application to renew a permit,
as required every three years, to prescribe narcotics. She notes, "It asked
if I had treatment for drug or alcohol. I checked it." The self-reporting of
the problem should be considered in her favor.

Her situation was investigated by the state Bureau of Narcotics and
Dangerous Drugs Control, which has submitted a report to Attorney General
Drew Edmondson. Edmondson's staff named a district attorney outside of
Oklahoma County to consider the case, after Lane recused himself. While such
incidents can bring civil sanctions or other penalties, criminal prosecution
is relatively rare in a case of prescription drug addiction when there is no
indication of trafficking to other parties.

Hansen still faces a hearing over the complaint filed with the state Board
of Medical Licensure. That will focus on allegations of professional
misconduct in connection with the self- prescriptions.

As for the district attorney, he seems to have handled a difficult situation
with care. Lane is a compassionate and caring gentleman, a Christian active
in many local causes which assist youngsters and families in need. After
just a few months in office, he has already faced several difficult
decisions, including the prosecution of Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator
Terry Nichols and fallout flowing from the compromised forensics work of
Joyce Gilchrist, a former police department employee.

Perhaps nothing he's faced professionally has been quite the same as the
personal storm of recent days. Lane began informing his staff about the
situation this week. He says he did not know of his wife's problem until her
staff organized an intervention last year.

Lane and Hansen sought time with reporters for The Oklahoman and television
news programs Monday, answering questions at length. Lane said, "My first
priority isn't my political career." Referring to his marriage, he said,
"These have been the best 14 years of my life. Whether I'm district attorney
is irrelevant. This is where we are."

Appointed by Gov. Frank Keating to finish the term of retired District
Attorney Bob Macy, Lane's current hitch runs until January 2003. Next year,
Lane must seek re-election in his own right if he wants a full four-year
term.

Hansen's hearing or hearings on her license won't occur for some time, and
the independent investigator's decisions will also require careful study.

We hope she gets a fair shake. Any rush to judgment would be unfair to her
and to thousands who have faced debilitating addictions -- and to the public
interest.