Doctor pulls gun on patient

[atxgun]

The good news is, the patients hiccups are gone

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/conte ... 7&cxcat=77

Friday, February 08, 2008

PORT ST. LUCIE — — A pain-management doctor pulled a gun on a former patient Tuesday after the man reportedly caused a disturbance in the office waiting room and hit the doctor with his cane, police said.

David Hungerford, 51, of Vero Beach was charged with aggravated battery and breach of peace after he reportedly refused to leave the office of Dr. David M. Glener and began yelling that he was billed for services he didn't receive, reports state.

Glener told police Hungerford ripped his shirt and struck him with a walking cane, prompting the doctor to retrieve his 9mm Glock handgun and point it upward while telling Hungerford he would use necessary force to defend himself.

Hungerford took a video of Glener and promised to post it on the YouTube Web site, reports say. The video, posted on http://www.youtube.com, shows Hungerford in his bedroom speaking for 20 minutes and blasting Glener and other Treasure Coast doctors for refusing to treat him because of an extensive cocktail of painkillers he reportedly was prescribed by an earlier doctor.

Glener's receptionist, Sokum Avila, told police Hungerford entered the office at 1599 S.E. Lennard Road Tuesday afternoon complaining the doctor was harassing him for an unpaid bill dating to July. Hungerford also demanded to see the doctor and said Glener's refusal to prescribe him medications was "inhumane," Avila said.

Employees asked Hungerford repeatedly to leave, witnesses said. When Glener heard the commotion he went to the waiting room and was grabbed and scratched by Hungerford, who also struck the doctor with his walking cane, reports state. Glener said he injured his right shoulder trying to deflect the attack and went into another room to retrieve his 9mm Glock handgun.

He stood in the doorway with the gun pointed upward and Hungerford left, Glener said. The doctor later told police he had torn his right rotator cuff and would undergo surgery Thursday to repair it.

Reached at his home, Hungerford denied striking the doctor and said he wants to pursue charges against Glener. He claimed an office worker grabbed him and prevented him from leaving the office.

In the video, Hungerford said he's "not very good with confrontations" so he "invested in about three beers" before going to Glener's office to confront him about collection agency notices for an overdue $25 co-pay bill.

The self-employed computer consultant said he's been on a heavy dose of painkillers since his third back surgery 21/2 years ago and said he switched doctors because it was costing too much to drive to Boynton Beach for care. Glener told police he declined to treat Hungerford because he "refused intervention pain procedures" and was "only interested in receiving controlled substances."

Police said Glener has a valid concealed-weapons permit and arrested Hungerford on two criminal charges Wednesday. He was released from the St. Lucie County jail Thursday on $20,250 bond.

[HighVelocity]

Addiction and/or abuse of pain killers is no joke. Then he drinks beer on top of that? The man is in bad shape, no doubt about it.

[WarHawk-AVG]

He was released from the St. Lucie County jail Thursday on $20,250 bond

and he was flipping out about a $25 co-pay

Yah right..he was mad that a doctor wouldn't write him up a prescription for pain killers he didn't need...pretty much a legal crackhead I suppose

Uggh....

[M9FAN]

... Yah right..he was mad that a doctor wouldn't write him up a prescription for pain killers he didn't need...pretty much a legal crackhead I suppose

Uggh....

+1

[Hyunchback]

I'm not in a position to judge the man's pain nor what kind of drugs are required to treat it.

That said the man had no right to demand any doctor write him the drugs he "wants". If the doctor isn't writing what he wants written then he has a right to go elsewhere.

NO other right.

The doctor has a responsibility to treat to the best of his ability and judgment. If he judged that the "cocktail" was not good medicine then he had a right to say no.

And the doctor should be sent to a class to learn that you don't draw a gun and point it up. If you feel you need to pull the gun then point it at the threat. If that bullet had fired through the roof of the office it may have struck someone who was not a threat.

[Venus Pax]

Mr. Hungerford may have found it less expensive to just pay the $25 copay.

[KBCraig]

While the patient was clearly in the wrong, and the doctor was justified to defend himself, this is yet another tragic example of the "war on drugs" gone wrong. Doctors are terrified to prescribe Schedule II (i.e., "effective") drugs for pain relief, because the doctor can go to prison if the patient abuses the drug. And of course the prescription drugs he is allowed to prescribe, are even worse than the Schedule I drugs he isn't allowed to prescribe at all.

Patients with chronic debilitating conditions can't legally use the marijuana that would allow them to function normally. Terminally ill cancer patients suffer horrible pain in their last weeks, because morphine and heroin are "addictive". Yeah, right. They'd be "addicted" for the rest of their lives -- much better that they be writhing in pain begging someone to shoot them. At least that way they suffer on the moral high ground. Oops, did I say "high"?

Even the former drug warrior champion Bob Barr has had a change of heart. Watch him in action at this week's CPAC conference:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8l8AIuJJRZo

[The Annoyed Man]

Patients with chronic debilitating conditions can't legally use the marijuana that would allow them to function normally.

KBCraig, with all due respect, are you a pot smoker? I'm being serious. Have you ever spent a large amount of your time smoking pot and under its influence? I am asking because my personal experience is that people who advocate the decriminalization of marijuana use for the political reasons that you state are either stoners, or political libertarians who actually have little or no experience with the drug.

On the other hand, I have first hand experience with it, in large quantities, over the course of a number of years in my teens and twenties, and I can say with a straight face that it practically ruined my life for a number of years. It IS an addictive drug. It IS a gateway drug. And decades now of studies and statistics support my contention, whereas the "legalize pot" side of the argument can offer very little in rebuttal and can only be supported by Libertarian philosophical arguments, which may not be framed in actual medical reality.

Furthermore, its pain relieving capabilities are vastly over-rated. In fact, in many cases, it can actually intensify pain. Marijuana causes all sensations the user experiences to be intensified. Food tastes WONDERFUL. Sex is better than you ever thought it could be. Funny is funnier; sad is sadder; and painful is almost always more painful. The only possible ameliorative effect that marijuana users can claim for pain, is that you can get so stoned that you don't care about the pain - and this is from a drug for which it is difficult to control dosage because of the inconsistencies between crops and the vagaries of horticultural techniques. In fact, on the rare occasions where marijuana is legitimately medically prescribed, it is for a) the relief of interocular pressure for glaucoma patients (which treats the source of the pain, but not the pain itself); and for b) the treatment of last resort for nausea in cancer patients who can't keep their food down. It gives them the munchies, which is good so that they'll gain weight and be better able to fight their disease. Most of these patients are on other more appropriate meds for their pain control.

Legalizing pot is frankly a superfluous idea, when there are much more appropriate drugs available, where dosage can be regulated, and in many cases which can alleviate large amounts of pain while maintaining a fairly clear head - which is an important quality of life issue.

I really wish that libertarians would restrict their drug legalization arguments to the philosophical, since they are almost always so far off base on the medical.

[KD5NRH]

It IS an addictive drug. It IS a gateway drug.

As is alcohol, and yet the vast majority of people can have a drink every now and then without issues.

Virtually all of the pot smokers I've dealt with limit their use pretty effectively, and most of them hold productive jobs.

[Charles L. Cotton]

This isn't going to be a debate on drug or the "war on drugs." Let's get back on topic.

Chas.

[The Annoyed Man]

This isn't going to be a debate on drug or the "war on drugs." Let's get back on topic.

Chas.

My apologies.

[45 4 life]

I would sure like to know where the Doc's office is at. I am certainly not up to speed, but I did see where hospitals that treat the mentally ill in Florida are off limits to firearms. I am sure someone here will know the rules and regulations on how Florida handles signage and postings.

I am happy to see that so far nothing about the doctor having the glock is being blown out of proportion. I am really enjoying seeing these reports about men and women legally defending themselves and it being treated as the normal way of life, and not some vigilanty uprising.

Wouldn't you hate to see something like that happen in one of our "safe zones " here in Texas. The business end of some canes/walking sticks can be as deadly as any gun when you are close enough, and it sounds like he was.

[KBCraig]

This isn't going to be a debate on drug or the "war on drugs." Let's get back on topic.

Chas.

My apologies.

And mine for starting the off topic aside.

But for the record, TAM, I am not a pot smoker.

[Charles L. Cotton]

This isn't going to be a debate on drug or the "war on drugs." Let's get back on topic.

Chas.

My apologies.

But for the record, TAM, I am not a pot smoker.

[DoubleJ]

or political libertarians who actually have little or no experience with the drug.

You don't know Kev too well, do ya? answered your own question.

I think the Doc handled things... okay. I mean, really? tore his Rotator Cuff? sounds like an old injury getting treatment of oppurtunity. course, I wasn't there, so I don't know how hard a drunk "disabled" guy hit him with the cane.
ah, well. gotta pay yo' co-pays!