California Professional License Defense Blog

The sudden death of another entertainment superstar could bring a criminal investigation of the prescribing practices of physician and patient. Whitney Houston, the music legend died, February 11, 2012 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. According to news reports, law enforcement obtained a search warrant to recover evidence from the scene. In addition, it is being reported that several prescription bottles were recovered.

TMZ is reporting, Whitney Houston was taking Xanax, that if coupled with alcohol could cause severe sedation. Xanax is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression.

Any physician who prescribed Xanax or any other medication found in Whitney Houston's room will very likely be contacted by Beverly Hills Detectives and The California Medical Board. As a certified criminal law specialist and California Medical Board defense attorney, I suggest any treating physician of Whitney Houston immediately contact a reputable and knowledgeable attorney immediately.

The California Medical Board and Los Angeles District Attorney's Office take prescription drug overdose cases very seriously, especially with the deaths of Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith and Heath Ledger. The public exposure of such high profile deaths almost require law enforcement to try and make California physicians responsible. So, anything said to law enforcement will be used against the physician.

Please keep in mind, there is no cause of death for Whitney Houston at this time. However, even if the cause of death is by natural causes, it does not relieve the California physician from criminal action or medical board action should prescribing practices be suspect.

Pilchman & Kay, is a law firm that represents California physicians in criminal court and with the California Medical Board.

Dr. Arturo Vargas has been ordered by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Upinder not to see any female patients while his criminal case is pending. While this is a common order when a male physician is accused of sexual acts with a patient, the order could have simply required a female chaperone be present for examinations with female patients.

Physicians are often the target of criminal claims by patients. This could be because the claims are true but it could also involve a misunderstanding or even an attempt to make a buck on a ciivl claim. All of the above scenarios are types of cases handled by our California Medical License Defense Firm. Attorneys need to be very aggressive in how the defend the well earned reputation of a California physician. If not, there can be an overwhelming response to law enforcement after a sexual assault by physician case become public. People will manufacture events so they can have their attorney try and settle quietly with a medical organization like Kaiser.

California physicians who have had criminal convictions, criminal arrests, malpractice judgments or complaints are investigated by the California Medical Board. Once an investigation is opened, an investigator and an attorney from the California Department of Justice are assigned to the case. So, doesn't it make sense that if the investigator is working with an attorney, so shouldn't the physician?

Most California physicians have a lot to lose should an investigation go badly. An experienced California medical license attorney can assist you in mitigating the damage that can be done during the course of investigation. Do not ever meet with an investigator with at least conferring with a licensing attorney.

Popular Mammoth Lakes physician Dr. Andrew Bourne ended his own life on January 4, 2012 shortly after being accused of sexual abuse of a Santa Barbara teen. Both Dr. Bourne and Joseph Walker, 48 are accused of soliciting sex from a minor and unlawful sexual intercourse. Both had pleaded not guilty.

The charges stem from the discovery of over 1,000 emails between Bourne and Walker with the teen that allegedly described the sexual relationships. According to Santa Barbara District Attorney officials, the teen was the daughter of Bourne's family friends and Bourne had admitted to the sexual relationship with investigators.

At the time of his death, Bourne was not under investigation with the California Medical Board and no formal Accusation had been filed.

Montebello physician Arturo Vargas, 41 was charged with two counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object and sexual battery and a misdemeanor count of sexual exploitation by a physician. Dr. Vargas was arrested and released on $200,000 bail.

Montebello police started their investigation last summer after a woman reported being sexually abused by Vargas. A report was taken and forwarded to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office where the case was filed and an arrest warrant went out.