OxyContin agreement challenged by judge

[maddezmom]

Source: Roanoke Times

Why shouldn't company executives who pleaded guilty be sent to jail as part of their punishment?
By Laurence Hammack
981-3239

A federal judge is raising questions about a plea agreement that calls for $634.5 million in fines -- but no jail time -- for the illegal marketing of OxyContin, a powerful painkiller that doubles as a street drug.

Before sentencing three Purdue Pharma executives next month, U.S. District Judge James Jones will consider responses to 16 questions he recently submitted to federal prosecutors and company officials.

One of the questions: Why should the executives not be sent to jail?

"While it certainly is appropriate for the corporate officials to be held accountable for the actions of the company, a sentence of incarceration ... would be unusual," prosecutors responded in court filings.



Read more: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/121345

[acmavm]

1. Yeah, it would be unusual for rich corporate executives to really have to

pay for their crimes by going to jail.

These people destroyed lives. Hurt families. Lied about a 'product' that had a really bad affect on society.

Anyway, some of the Enron boys went to jail. We need to set a standard here because 'white collar' criminals have gotten used to paying out part (not all mind you) of their ill-gotten gains and being forgiven.

The Frist family leaps into my mind.

[ShortnFiery]

2. Of Course, Our Ruling Class does not go to jail like us "little people" - they're above us.

:puke: :grr:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. It must have been a Rush to judgment.

:hide:

[Lochloosa]

4. ....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[hollowdweller]

5. The War on Drugs was won. And the pharmaceutical companies were the winners.

I look over medical records all day for a living, and I can tell you from my observations illegal drug use is a drop in the bucket compared to all the painkillers.

Doctors prescribe I mean ultra heavy duty stuff for pain most of us just live with.

I bet there are twice as many junkies now as there were in the 60's but instead of illegal heroin it's pharmaceutical stuff.

Also it seems to be almost a pyramid scheme.

When welfare reform passed you couldnt' get AFDC unless you worked for it. But you could get diagnosed with some condition fairly easy, go to a doctor and get a script for painkillers and sell those and make WAY more than what you'd get for AFDC. The pain clinics around here drug test people to make sure they have drugs IN their system and I can't tell you how many Ive seen them cut loose because they had none in their system. Sold them all. People coming into their doctors offices going into withdrawl because they shared their meds or sold some and ran out early. People saying they "lost" their script so they can get another and make more money.


I never knew of anyone OD on illegal drugs but the amount of people dying from OD's on this stuff is amazing. Funny thing is that I guess since it's coming from big pharma you never hear it reported in the paper.

[OldschoolDem]

7. No offense but most people prescribed pain meds need them

You don't get Oxycontin for a headache and or other run of the mill stuff. I am perscribed Oxycontin 40mg once a day and morphine readyjects 4mg for breakthrough pain. I had a bad accident when I was in high school and have yet to recover. Don't make blanket statements about pain medication and those that abuse them.

[Virginia Dare]

6. crack cocaine=lock them in jail and throw away the key

oxycontin=slap on the wrist

makes perfect sense...:grr: