https://doctorsofcourage.org/david-suetholz-md/
Dr. David Suetholz, MD, 74, is a family medicine doctor who practiced in Ft Mitchell, KY. Suetholz also served in the Kenton County Coroner’s Office for over 40 years, 30 of which he served as coroner. He retired from that position in June 2021 but continued his private practice. He has worked as a family physician for over 45 years
He was convicted by a jury in September, 2022—in spite of the Ruan v. United States decision in June of that year—of 12 counts of prescribing controlled substances — oxycodone, OxyContin and fentanyl — to three patients from September 2018 to February 2020. Ten of those counts are shown:
The government’s case was based on their charge that Dr. Suetholtz
“unlawfully prescribed controlled substances to his patients outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Some patients were prescribed high doses of medication and in dangerous combinations without justification. Suetholz also prescribed to patients without assessing their risks for addiction or their past history of substance abuse.”
Excuse me! The prescriptions shown are of low dose and minimum number for effective pain relief. And none of these were filled early, but in actuality many lasted longer than they needed to. So how could he have been found guilty? Simply by the propaganda that people now believe—that opioids cause addiction, so doctors are drug pushers.
Following his conviction, Dr. Suetholz’s lawyers filed a motion asking the federal court to reverse his conviction or grant him a new trial, saying that, given the evidence presented in court, “no reasonable jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that he knowingly or intentionally violated the law.”
“Not a single witness testified Dr. Suetholz was doing anything other than treating his patients in the best way he knew how,” the lawyers said in court filings. “The evidence painted a picture of a trusting and selfless healer who treated patients like family and would do anything to help those who are struggling.”
In court filings, Suetholz’s lawyers also claimed the court erred during the trial. Those alleged errors include:
- Instructing the jury on deliberate ignorance.
- Allowing prosecutors to admit evidence of “unrelated” medical licensure board proceedings.
- Permitting the admission of “extremely prejudicial” evidence of uncharged patient deaths.
- And prohibiting defense lawyers from admitting the government’s recorded statement of one of Suetholz’s patients.
Now why would a government employee for 40 years become a target for the DOJ? Basically for 2 reasons. His age means that he has assets. And in Kentucky, a lot of law enforcement jobs depend on the systemic attacks on doctors for prescribing opioids. Since the Ruan SCOTUS decision is falling on deaf ears in the DOJ—which I warned people would happen—they know that the conviction will ride on the propaganda in the jurors’ heads that simply by prescribing opioids the doctor is guilty. Those reaping the benefits of this illegal attack are trial attorneys Dermot Lynch and Maryam Adeyola, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV, FBI, DEA, HHS, and the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, among others.
Just to show the REAL cause of these attacks, here is the forfeiture paperwork in the indictment: 2021 Indictment
Are you getting tired yet, of good, compassionate physicians lose their livelihood and more because of a rogue DOJ? We have the answer on DoC. I teach the REAL cause of addiction. People just won’t learn it and pass it on. So these attacks will continue and more pain patients will suffer. I predict that if people don’t join my effort to get the truth out, then there won’t be any opioids by 2030. But, if you aren’t willing to learn what will stop it, you are doomed to live it. It’s YOUR choice.
Dr. Suetholz is scheduled for sentencing later this month.
Filed under: General Problems
Dr suetholtz was my dr for over 20 years. I had a bad addiction and that man helped me in too many ways to list here. I believe I’m alive today in big part because of him. I have several years of sobriety and have worked a couple years in the substance use recovery field. He’s a very good and altruistic man.
This is terrible and hopefully they must pay for their misdeed’s sooner rather than later. Taking an innocent mans
freedom is inexcusable!
Ted
I don’t understand exactly what he is required to forfeit. Do they take everything, even $ for his defense? Do they leave him homeless? What if he is married and has a house with his wife?
What the DoJ presented should have included milligrams and # of meds RX’d per day. THAT is a missing piece that would show if he may have been prescribing outside of the “normal” limits. And the new CDC guidelines stress that they are not limits set in stone. At worst, he may be guilty of not enough documentation. But those appear to be normal amounts of pain medications for a chronic pain pt.
Why was the recording of one of his patients not allowed? What limits were the medical board forcing him to comply with, or even, what did the medical board find? Also, just because a pt dies under a doctor’s care, that does not automatically mean it was the doctor’s fault. There is so much missing. A doctor in the business for that long is not suddenly going to risk his lifetime career over a few pts. Something is very wrong here.