Muncie pain clinic doc convicted of forgery, Rx offenses

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - A jury has convicted a Muncie pain clinic doctor on three counts each of forgery and prescription-related registration offenses.

The Delaware Circuit Court jury deliberated less than an hour before finding William Hedrick of Fort Wayne guilty of the six counts.

The (Muncie) Star Press reports his sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 9.

Local, state and federal authorities raided Hedrick's Muncie pain clinic in October 2014. They alleged Hedrick and his Muncie clinic contributed to the deaths of eight people by over-prescribing pain medication. Prosecutors said the practice saw hundreds of patients some days,

Hedrick's attorney, James Crum, acknowledged that his client had a heavy patient load and reminded jurors they had heard from patients who testified they had a "better quality of life" before the clinic was shut down.

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Information from: The Star Press, http://www.thestarpress.com