Saturday, May 18, 2013

Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

Wrestler Benoit's doctor gets 10 years in prison
Posted: 05.12.2009 at 2:01 PM
0

NEWNAN, Ga. (AP) — The personal doctor to a professional wrestler who killed himself, his wife and their 7-year-old son was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally distributing prescription drugs to patients.

Dr. Phil Astin was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty Jan. 29 to a 175-count federal indictment.

Wrestler Chris Benoit killed his family and then himself in 2007 in their suburban Atlanta home. A medical examiner couldn't say whether the steroids Astin prescribed for Benoit played a role in the deaths.

U.S. District Judge Jack Camp said there was no doubt the 54-year-old Astin tried to help hundreds of patients at his western Georgia clinic. But the judge said he could not overlook the fact that at least two patients died as a result of Astin's misconduct.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NEWNAN, Ga. (AP) — The personal doctor to a professional wrestler who killed himself, his wife and their 7-year-old son was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally distributing prescription drugs to patients.

Dr. Phil Astin was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty Jan. 29 to 175 counts that including illegally distributing prescription drugs.

Wrestler Chris Benoit killed his family and then himself in 2007 in their suburban Atlanta home. A medical examiner couldn't say whether the steroids Astin prescribed for Benoit played a role in the deaths.

U.S. District Judge Jack Camp said there was no doubt the 54-year-old Astin tried to help hundreds of patients at his western Georgia clinic. But the judge said he could not overlook the fact that two patients died as a result of Astin's misconduct.

Popular Stories
Thumbnail
Senior graduates after overcoming many obstacles
Courtney Highfield  |  Yesterday at 4:07 PM
Thumbnail
ASU police officer set to deploy in June
Colby Gallagher  |  Yesterday at 9:00 PM  |  2 comments
Follow My Southwest GA
Get news and weather notifications on your phone by downloading the iPhone or Android app below
Sign up to get alerts and updates for breaking news, severe weather, and deals:
submit
ADVERTISEMENT
Special Features
Bright Side
Spreading the good news around Southwest Georgia!
Win a booster seat!
Click above for your chance to win a booster seat and get safety tips for your child!
Legal
Finding the right lawyer to handle your needs is important.
ADVERTISEMENT