Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tennessee Doctors Extradited In Harlan County Drug Case
Two Tennessee doctors are being held in the Harlan County Detention Center on $5 million bonds and could be arraigned as early as Thursday. Nashville anesthesiologist, 64 year old Dr. Visuvalingam Vilvarajah and his wife, Dr. Miriella Lalanne, were extradited to Kentucky Monday to face three counts of engaging in organized crime after being charged earlier this month with illegally prescribing painkillers in a Harlan County drug case involving about 350 patients. They're also charged with one count each of second-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment involving a Harlan County woman who gave birth to a baby addicted to narcotics. Vilvarajah lost his medical license after being sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally shooting his former wife and mother-in-law in 1986. After serving about 5 years, he was paroled, and Tennessee reinstated his license. If convicted, they could be sentenced to 75 years.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:26 PM 
