Trial of Kansas Pain Doctors Will be on Our Radar

"A lawyer's performance in the courtroom is responsible for about 25 percent of the outcome -- the remaining 75 percent depends on the facts." Melvin Belli (prominent American attorney July 29, 1907 – July 9, 1996)

The Pain Relief Network defends "pill mills" physicians

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - Beginning Monday, April 26 I will be writing about the a trial taking place in Wichita, Kansas.

Marianne Skolek

It is expected to run six to eight weeks. The 69 page indictment against the Schneiders suggests a serious pattern of questionable drug dealing and a large number of related deaths.

They are charged with:

• Conspiracy,
• Unlawful Distribution,
• Dispensing of Controlled Substances resulting in serious bodily injury and death,
• Health Care Fraud resulting in serious injury and death.

____________________________________________________

The indictment against the Schneiders reads in part as follows:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
(WICHITA DOCKET)
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff

vs

STEPHEN J. SCHNEIDER
and
LINDA K. SCHNEIDER
a/k/a
LINDA K. ATTERBURY
d/b/a SCHNEIDER MEDICAL CLINIC
Defendants
_______________________________

Until January 29, 2008, when the Kansas Board of Healing Arts suspended his license to practice medicine, defendant STEPHEN J. SCHNEIDER was a doctor of osteopathic medicine, licensed in Kansas, and board certified in family medicine.

Until March 31, 2008, when her licensed expired, defendant LINDA K. SCHNEIDER, a/k/a LINDA K. ATTERBURY, was a Licensed Practical Nurse (“LPN”).

On or about June 4, 2002, defendants STEPHEN J. SCHNEIDER and LINDA K. SCHNEIDER organized Schneider Medical Clinic, L.L.C. (“the Clinic”), and by the Fall of 2002, opened a newly-built medical clinic at 7030 S. Broadway Street, Haysville, Kansas.

Since its inception, defendants STEPHEN J. SCHNEIDER and LINDA K. SCHNEIDER have owned and operated the Clinic, and defendant LINDA K. SCHNEIDER has served as the general manager of the Clinic. In her capacity as general manager of the Clinic, defendant LINDA K. SCHNEIDER directed Clinic operations, including hiring and firing staff, how the Clinic scheduled patients, and how the Clinic billed Health Care Benefit Programs for medical services the Clinic ostensibly provided.

From at least in or about January 2002, and continuing to in or about January 2008, defendants STEPHEN J. SCHNEIDER and LINDA K. SCHNEIDER purported to be providing “Pain Management” treatment for chronic pain patients through family medical practices, including the Clinic. Defendants STEPHEN J. SCHNEIDER and LINDA K. SCHNEIDER did not operate a legitimate medical practice, but instead were engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to distribute and dispense controlled substances illegally, to defraud Health Care Benefit Programs of money, and to defraud patients of money by running what was, in essence, a “prescription mill” and a “narcotics delivery system”, commonly known as a “Pill Mill.”

As a result of the defendants’ operating a Pill Mill instead of a legitimate medical practice, that is, as a result of their conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled drugs and scheme to defraud, numerous patients were hospitalized due to overdoses of prescribed drugs, and numerous patients died of such overdoses. Beginning at least as early as February 2002, defendants Stephen J. Schneider and Linda K. Schneider were on repeated notice that their purported “pain management treatment” practices were resulting in patient deaths and overdoses, yet the defendants did nothing to alter their practices. Consequently, deaths and overdoses continued. At least the following number of defendants’ patients – 68 – died of drug overdoses in the following years, from in or about February 2002, and continuing through in or about February 2008:

Below are the names of the people who will not have a voice during the trial -- a verdict reached by a jury will be their voice.