The Issue Whether Respondent, a certified law enforcement officer, failed to maintain good moral character by unlawfully acquiring or obtaining, or attempting to acquire or obtain, possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge on or about July 16, 1999; by unlawfully withholding information from a medical practitioner from whom he sought to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance on or between April 1, 1999, and August 5, 1999; by corruptly using or attempting to use his official position as a law enforcement officer in such a manner as to secure a special privilege for himself or others, to wit: prepared a fictitious Offense/Incident Report as set forth in the Administrative Complaint; and, if so, what disciplinary action should be taken.
Findings Of Fact Respondent, Tad K. Moody, is a certified law enforcement officer in the State of Florida. He was issued Law Enforcement Certificate No. 160029 on February 11, 1996. Respondent was employed by the City of Tampa Police Department as a police officer during the period February 11, 1996, through May 19, 2000. In August of 1998, Respondent received an on-duty injury and was prescribed pain medications as a result. Respondent signed a contract with Dr. Greenberger stating that he would only receive controlled substances from Dr. Greenberger. Respondent went to several different doctors after August 1998 and received prescription pain medications from all of them. Respondent never advised his treating physicians that he was receiving Hydrocodone or other pain medication from each of his treating physicians. Respondent did not inform any of the physicians that he was receiving prescription pain medications from any of the other physicians. On or about July 16, 1999, Respondent reported to his treating physician’s office that his vehicle was stolen with his medication in it. Dr. Batas required substantiation of the theft in the form of an auto theft report prior to issuing additional medication. On or about July 16, 1999, Respondent prepared a false Tampa Police Department Offense/Incident Report, reporting that his vehicle containing medications had been stolen. He submitted it to Dr. Batas' office in order to receive additional medication. On August 4, 1999, Respondent presented a prescription for 90 Vicoprofen to the Eckerd Drug Store pharmacy at 1904 West Lumsden in Brandon, Florida. Dr. Steven J. Tresser, M.D., had written Respondent a prescription on August 4, 1999, for 40, not 90, Vicoprofen. The Eckerd Drug Store personnel identified Respondent as the individual who submitted the altered prescription for Vicoprofen or Hydrocodone. Respondent admitted to Detective Lusczynski, during an interview, that he had an addiction problem due to the back pain he suffered as a result of the injury he received in 1998. In late 1999, Respondent was charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud (2 counts) and obtaining drugs from a physician by withholding information. On or about July 24, 2000, Respondent entered into a Drug Court Agreement for 18 months' probation with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit's State Attorney's Office. As part of the agreement, Respondent was required to successfully complete the Drug Court Program, including evaluation; counseling; random urinalysis; and pay $372 court costs, plus $40 a month toward supervision. Respondent's drug case was dismissed on March 14, 2002, based on his successful completion of the Drug Court Program. The evidence is clear and convincing that Respondent unlawfully acquired possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation on or about July 16, 1999. The evidence is clear and convincing that Respondent unlawfully withheld information from a medical practitioner from whom he sought to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance during the relevant time period. The evidence is clear and convincing that Respondent corruptly used, or attempted to use, his official position as a law enforcement officer in such a manner as to secure a special privilege for himself by preparing a fictitious Offense/Incident Report on or about July 16, 1999.
Recommendation Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission enter a final order as follows: Respondent be found guilty of failure to maintain good moral character as required by Section 943.13(7), Florida Statutes (2000). Respondent's certification be revoked. DONE AND ENTERED this 20th day of February, 2004, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S DANIEL M. KILBRIDE Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 SUNCOM 278-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 20th day of February, 2004. COPIES FURNISHED: Laurie B. Binder, Esquire Department of Law Enforcement Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, Florida 32302 Tad K. Moody 10124 Woodberry Road Tampa, Florida 33619 Rod Caswell, Program Director Division of Criminal Justice Professionalism Services Department of Law Enforcement Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, Florida 32302 Michael Ramage, General Counsel Department of Law Enforcement Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, Florida 32302
The Issue Whether the Respondent used excessive force to subdue a prisoner, and whether the Respondent made false official statements about the incident.
Findings Of Fact The Respondent, Tony V. Walker, was certified by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission on July 7, 1989, and issued Corrections Certificate No. 05-89-502-01; and on October 9, 1990, was issued Law Enforcement Certificate No. 05-90-222-01. (See Petitioner's Exhibit 1.) At the time of the incident described in the Amended Administrative Complaint, the Respondent was working as a certified correctional officer at the Liberty Correctional Institution in Bristol, Florida. On or about November 12, 1990, the Respondent was working in the E and F dormitories of the Liberty Correctional Institution supervising inmates with Correctional Officer Wanda Terry/Rogers and Sgt. Smith. While Officer Terry/Rogers was on the phone with the medical department of the institution, the dining hall attempted to notify dormitories E and F to release their inmates for the noontime meal. When the dining hall was unable to contact dormitories E and F, dormitories G and H were called and told to release their inmates for the meal. When the inmates in dormitory E realized that dormitories E and F had been skipped in the feeding schedule, they became rowdy and belligerent. The inmates gathered around the dormitory control station cursing and complaining at Officers Terry/Rogers and Walker. Sgt. Smith was not present, having been requested by the lieutenant to assist him in the dining hall during the meal period. Officer Walker, the Respondent, attempted to calm the inmates by entering dormitory E and explaining the situation, emphasizing that the E and F inmates would be the next to go to lunch. This calmed some of the inmates, but Owen Dampier continued his verbal remonstrations about being skipped. After Walker returned into the dormitory's control room, Dampier approached the voice screen to the control room and became increasingly verbally abusive to both Walker and Terry/Rogers. His actions were causing the other inmates to again become rowdy and both Terry/Rogers and Walker felt that if Dampier's acting-out continued, it would foment an inmate disturbance. Walker had picked up an inmate's walking cane which was kept in the office for security reasons. Walker was preparing to issue the cane to the inmate to whom it belonged when Dampier screamed at Terry/Rogers and him. Walker slammed the cane against the plexiglass window and whistled at Dampier, who had turned and was walking towards the inmates clustered near the control room. Walker called Dampier back to the control room, and told Dampier that he was going to be placed in the laundry room in isolation. Terry/Rogers observed that Walker at this time was calm and was not upset by Dampier. Having told Dampier that he was going to be placed in isolation, Walker opened the door to the control room to let in Dampier. The control room door was hinged on the left side and opened into the control room. It was secured by a dead bolt lock located over the door handle on the right side of the door. As Dampier entered the room, Terry/Rogers left the desk and moved to the laundry room door to open it. Dampier stepped into the control room and stopped immediately inside the room. At this point, Dampier attempted to engage in a debate with Walker about the meal delay and refused to proceed into isolation. Dampier was facing Walker, and Walker, still holding onto the door, was standing partially behind the door, holding the door handle with his left hand. Walker released the door and it closed but was not locked. The statements of Walker, Terry/Roger and Dampier about what occurred next differ in their specifics. The following findings are based upon the testimony of Walker and Terry/Rogers and the written statement of Dampier which is corroborative of both of their statements. Dampier described his posture at this juncture as "being in Walker's face." Both Walker and Dampier were in close proximity with one another. Walker reached with his left hand to lock the door which had closed, but which had not been locked. As Walker started to reach for the door lock, Dampier perceived that he was grabbing for him and slapped Walker's hand away. Terry/Rogers, observing from across the room, saw Walker reaching for the door and assumed that he was reaching for Dampier who was standing in front of the door handle and lock. When Dampier slapped Walker's hand away, Walker felt threatened and pushed Dampier away from him with his right hand. Terry/Rogers, across the room, perceived Walker's action as an effort by Walker to grab Dampier. However, because of the location of the two men and the laundry room, it would have been extremely awkward for Walker to have grabbed at Dampier with his right hand in an effort to lead him to the laundry room which was to Walker's right and Dampier's left. Dampier's statement confirms that when Walker pushed him, Dampier pushed Walker back. Walker described Dampier's pushing him, and stated that, at this point, he struck Dampier on the chin with his closed right fist and then wrestled Dampier to the floor. Both the testimony of Terry/Rogers and the statement of Dampier confirm this. After both men fell to the floor, Terry/Rogers first locked the door to the control room, and then called the main control room for assistance. Two correctional officers supervising the yard immediately outside the dormitory responded in seconds. With their assistance, the tussle between Dampier and Walker was stopped. The Superintendent of Liberty Correctional Institution appointed an investigating officer, Inspector Stone, who interviewed Terry/Rogers, Walker and Dampier on the afternoon of November 12, 1992. Walker denied grabbing Dampier. Walker stated that he struck Dampier after Dampier pushed him. Dampier stated that Walker had grabbed him (page 4 of Dampier's statement), and also that Walker grabbed at him (page 6 of Dampier's statement). Walker admitted physical contact with Dampier and admitted striking Dampier; however, Walker stated consistently that he no recollection of grabbing Dampier by the arm. Both Walker and Dampier describe the same occurrences. Dampier's statement reports "he (Walker) grabbed at me (when) I was in his face." (Emphasis supplied.) "Then he told me to come. . . (page 6) "I pulled back like this, here, I was going to walk a little bit." (page 4, paragraph 5) "When I snatched my arm back, that's when he came up to me and pushed me." (page 4, paragraph 6) "I thought maybe he was going to swing, so I kinda like shoved him back, and he came up to be mad and he swung . . . he hit me." (page 4, paragraph 13) Walker states, "I asked him to step to me (inside the officer's station), and when he did he, uh, bowed up and he walked over to me and I opened up the door[.] I asked him to step on back to the laundry room[.] [W]hen he did, he slapped my hand back, and pushed me back and things went from there. . ." (page 3). "I hit the glass to get his attention[.] [T]hen I came down and I asked him to step inside the officer station[.] I told him to step on back to the laundry room[,] and that is when he slapped my hand and pushed me back, and started swinging[.]" Page 4. "I had my hand out to open the door, and as he stepped in[,] I let it,. . . the door[,] go back in behind me, . . . I took my hand [and] put it by my side like this, and he slapped my hand back, and pushed me back. . . I have [sic] not touched him then, until, up until then, 'til the actual squabble itself. . . . No, sir, I didn't grab him by the arm." (page 5 and 6) "He pushed me backwards, . . . finally I pushed him back and he reared back and I hit. It happened mighty fast." (Walker, page 6). In summary, both men testified to the same events, in the same order. Just after Dampier entered the room, Walker made some motion with his hand, and Dampier slapped it away. Walker pushed Dampier away from himself after Dampier slapped his hand, and a scuffle ensued in which Walker struck Dampier. What Terry/Rogers observed from across the room was not Walker grabbing Dampier with his right hand, but Walker pushing Dampier away. The slapping of Walker's left hand by Dampier with his right hand, which occurred first, was not observed by Terry/Rogers.
Recommendation Based upon the foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law, it is recommended that the charges against the Respondent, Tony V. Walker, be dismissed. RECOMMENDED in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, this 24th day of February, 1993. STEPHEN F. DEAN Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1550 (904) 488-9675 Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 24th day of February, 1993. APPENDIX TO RECOMMENDED ORDER The Respondent did not file proposed findings. The proposed findings filed by the Petitioner were read and considered. The following states which of those findings were adopted, and which were rejected and why: Petitioner's Findings Recommended Order Paragraphs 1-9 Paragraphs 1-9 Paragraphs 10,11 Walker advised Dampier he was going to be isolated before letting Dampier into the Control Room, and it was only after Dampier entered the Control Room that they had an argument. Paragraph 12 The testimony that Walker grabbed Dampier is rejected as being contrary to that of Walker's testimony which is corroborated by Dampier's statement. Paragraphs 13-15 Paragraph 17,18 Paragraphs 16 See Comments to Paragraph 12, above. Paragraphs 17,18 Irrelevant. Paragraphs 19-21 Paragraphs 19 and 23. Paragraph 22 The testimony of Stone, as quoted in the proposed finding, makes it appear that Walker changed his story. This is incorrect. Walker never denied striking Dampier, although, he denied having grabbed Dampier by the arm at the commencement of the altercation. Paragraph 23 Irrelevant. COPIES FURNISHED: Dawn Pompey Whitehurst, Esquire Assistant General Counsel Florida Department of Law Enforcement Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, FL 32302 Tony V. Walker 7002 Lois Street, Apt. B Callaway, FL 32404 Jeffrey Long, Director Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, FL 32302 James T. Moore, Commissioner Department of Law Enforcement Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, FL 32302
Findings Of Fact Upon consideration of the oral and documentary evidence adduced at the hearing, the following facts are found: On June 27, 1977, respondent was charged by Information with committing the felony of leaving the scene of an accident on February 24, 1977. The accident resulted in injuries to a seventy-nine (79) year old woman, Grace Heck, who died nine (9) days later as a consequence of those injuries. Respondent pled nolo contendere to that charge and, on November 15, 1977, Judge Thomas M Coker, Jr, entered an order withholding adjudication of guilt and placing respondent on probation for a period of three (3) years, with the specific condition, among nine others, that he pay restitution for the medical expenses of the accident victim. The term of probation was later modified to one year to conform to the law. On or about July 10, 1978, respondent's probation officer filed an Affidavit of Violation of Probation stating nine violations of the terms of respondent's probation. These violations included failure to submit required reports and pay costs for supervision, failure to make restitution for the accident victim's medical expenses, carrying a concealed firearm, operating a motor vehicle on two occasions while his license was suspended, careless driving, and failure to reduce the speed of his automobile resulting in the colliding with and subsequent death of a pedestrian, John Kelly Wilkens. Effective July 13, 1978, Judge Coker revoked respondent's probation imposed for the offense of leaving the scene of an accident and sentenced respondent to one year in the county jail. Pursuant to a motion for mitigation, Judge Coker on August 18, 1978, set aside the order of adjudication of guilt and the one year sentence, and ordered that respondent be placed on a new probation for a period of one year. The original terms of probation were imposed, along with the conditions that respondent not resume the practice of medicine until an examining board determined his fitness and that he submit to a psychiatric evaluation and treatment, if required. On or about July 14, 1978, another Information was filed against respondent for the third degree felony offense of carrying a concealed weapon. After a plea of nolo contendere, adjudication of guilt was withheld and respondent was placed on probation for a period of five years by Judge Coker on January 24, 1979. Independent evidence was adduced by the petitioner with respect to both the hit-and-run accident and the carrying a concealed firearm charge. A passenger in respondent's car on February 24, 1977, testified in her deposition that respondent was driving his car, ran a red light in Fort Lauderdale and collided with a turning car containing two elderly persons. Respondent immediately left the accident scene, drove to a closed service station and stayed there for a few minutes, then drove to a school parking lot and left the car there. The deponent and respondent then walked to respondent's home, picked up another car and drove to West Palm Beach where respondent played tennis. Two officers with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department testified that their investigation of the February 24, 1977, accident confirmed that respondent was the driver of the hit-and-run vehicle. The officer who arrested respondent for carrying a concealed weapon testified by way of deposition that in June of 1978, she found respondent in his car with a fully loaded and cocked automatic weapon on the floor and live ammunition matching the weapon in his pocket. Respondent has not reported to his probation officer since October of 1979. An Affidavit of Violation of Probation has been filed against the respondent and respondent is presently the subject of an arrest warrant. His present whereabouts are unknown to his probation officer and he is considered a fugitive from justice. At the request of Judge Coker, Dr. Arnold H. Eichert, a psychiatrist, examined respondent on September 11, 1979, It was Dr. Eichert's opinion that respondent suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, Dr. Eichert seriously doubted respondent's ability to practice medicine at that time. Inasmuch as respondent had violated his probation and failed to appear at this hearing, Dr. Eichert opined that such conduct and poor judgment was consistent with his earlier diagnosis that respondent would be unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients. Respondent was expelled from the Broward County Medical Association on July 7, 1977, for the reason that his medical practice was detrimental to the profession, his patients or the community. No appeal was taken from this action. On November 10, 1977, respondent's medical staff privileges at Plantation General Hospital were suspended for his lack of attendance at general staff and departmental meetings. On September 30, 1977, the State Committee on Peer Medical Utilization Review (PMUR), which analyses physician treatment of Medicare patients for Blue Shield, found that respondent was guilty of "maximal overutilization of office visits, injections and laboratory procedures." This finding was made after a review of the medical records of approximately forty-five (45) of respondent's patients during the 1974 year. The charts were reviewed by Blue Shield, the Florida Medical Foundation, Inc. and a county peer review committee. Statistically, a review of respondent's patient charts illustrated that respondent was far beyond the utilization screening parameters as compared to other physicians in the Broward County area engaged in general practice. Specifically, the norm for visit days per patient for physicians doing general practice in the area was five days. The respondent's records indicated eight visit days per patient, or sixty percent over the screening parameter. The average number of injections per patient was 2.44. Respondent's injections per patient amounted to 17.7, or 620.08 percent over the parameter. Respondent's laboratory procedures per patient per year were 6.24, while the screening parameter was 4.96, representing 25.81 percent overutilization. By way of deposition, Dr. Frank Hodnette, Chairman of the State Committee on PMUR, testified that such statistics denote that respondent was "way out of bounds as far as his utilization of the medicare benefits as related to . . . the area of office visits, injections and laboratory work." After reviewing respondent's patient's medical charts, the various reviewing committees further concluded that respondent's practice deviated from the standard of acceptable daily practice and was not consistent with what is considered as standard good care of medical practice. A member of the Broward County Medical Association's PMUR Committee that reviewed respondent's records testified at the hearing as an expert in family and general practice. Dr. Nancy La Fuente reviewed several medical charts and found no medical justification for certain injections, multiple injections of the same substance, and an overall gross abuse of injections, particularly of vitamins. Dr. La Fuente concluded that respondent's practice significantly deviated from the standard of acceptable and prevailing medical practice in his area of expertise in Broward County.
Recommendation Based upon the findings of fact and conclusions of law recited above, it is RECOMMENDED that respondent be found guilty of violating Section 458.1201(1)(c), (m), (n) and (p) and that respondent's license to practice medicine in the State of Florida be revoked. Respectfully submitted and entered this 6th day of June, 1980, in Tallahassee, Florida. DIANE D. TREMOR, Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings Room 101, Collins Building Tallahassee, Florida 32301 (904) 488-9675 COPIES FURNISHED: William B. Wiley McFarlain, Bobo, Sternstein, Wiley and Cassedy, P.A. 666 Lewis State Bank Building Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Alfred E. Johnson, Esquire 3443 Hancock Bridge Parkway North Ft. Myers, Florida 33903 Nancy Whittenberg, Secretary Department of Professional Regulation 2009 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Mailed to Stephen M. Niesen, M. D. to the three addresses indicated below: 1940 South Ocean Drive Hemisphere's Apartments No. 8-P Hallandale, Florida 33309 % Probation Department Broward County Courthouse Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 Post Office Box 6372 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33310
