ÿWPCh …# VU>a %Ÿ 0í¥UB’ 4Ô è n­÷ ¤ w@¬ U:ì 0J& 0Tp 0^Ä 0h" 0rŠ 0|ü 0†x 0þ 1uŽU, 0d/U,“U6¿U.õ B#U*@B)jDC“ AMÖ D3#vVfÌ 0@2v~rvÓð AOÃÆ 0DØ D/ BK˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 <èÀ( 9Z &Courier RegularX(ÅÕÐ$¡¡Ñ  ÑÑ7€'CXXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÓiU°X` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#€%Ø'0*ˆ,à.813è5@8˜:ð<H? A°œXiÓ<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiÔ¡¨ 3|xó «<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXxþ6X@ÉJQX@ á â Eã Uä Ó€å Uæ Ó€ç Dè Eé Eê Ó€`"Arial Regular2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Courier New< Œ 9p`(Courier d< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d''''7Border 1dd€-(Cþÿ << Gÿÿ%%%%'ÿÿdxd lÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€#ÔÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÑ  ÑÓ` °˜XÓÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌAugust€1,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€""X„d&ÓÑ#€""Xd#ÑÔ€#ÔÑ  ÑÑ#€$$Xd#ÑÑ#€$$Xd#ÑÑ  ÑÓ` °˜XÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÑ  ÑÑ Ü ÑÓÓÔ€&ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€ýXXdæXXdÈ7ќـ€ÙßL€)+(;+'h|` ç `€€Lß›€à8 àà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINALÏAPPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEà@ à€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€œJANUARY›€1996€SESSIONÌÌÓÓSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,à àà à)à àÌ€à àà àà àà à)Ìà àAppellee,€à àà à)à àNo.€œ01C01„9503„CC„00074›Ìà à€€€€€à àà à€€à à)Ìà àà àà àà à)à àFranklin€CountyÌv.à àà àà àà à)€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà à)à à€Hon.€Buddy€D.€Perry,€Judge€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà à)ÌCHARLES€ROBERT€HARMUTH,€)à à€œ(Denial€of€Pretrial›€Diversion)Ìà àà àà àà à)€€€€€€€€Ìà àAppellant.à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àÌÌòòFor€the€Appellantóó:à àà àà àà àòòFor€the€Appelleeóó:ÌÌTimothy€S.€Priestà àà àà àà àCharles€W.€BursonÌ100€First€Avenue,€S.W.à àà àà àAttorney€General€of€TennesseeÌWinchester,€TN€37398à àà àà àà àandÌà àà àà àà àà àHunt€S.€BrownÌà àà àà àà àà àAssistant€Attorney€General€of€TennesseeÏà àà àà àà àà à450€James€Robertson€Parkwayà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37243„0493ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àJames€Michael€TaylorÌà àà àà àà àà àDistrict€Attorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àFirst€American€Bank€Bldg.Ìà àà àà àà àà àDayton,€TN€37321Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àandÌà àà àà àà àà àSteven€M.€BlountÌà àà àà àà àà àAssistant€District€Attorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà à1€South€Jefferson€StreetÌà àà àà àà àà àWinchester,€TN€37398ÌÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:____________________ÌÌÌAFFIRMEDÌÌJoseph€M.€TiptonÌJudgeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòò òO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌà àThe€defendant,€Charles€Robert€Harmuth,€is€before€us€in€an€interlocutoryÏappeal€by€permission,€T.R.A.P.€9,€from€the€order€of€the€Franklin€County€Circuit€CourtÏaffirming€the€prosecuting€attorneyððs€denial€of€his€application€for€pretrial€diversion.€€TheÏsole€issue€for€our€review€is€whether€the€trial€court€erred€by€affirming€the€denial.ÌÌà àThe€defendant€is€a€medical€doctor€who€is€certified€in€gynecology,Ïobstetrics,€and€drug€dependency.€€He€was€indicted€on€ten€counts€of€obtaining€aÏschedule€II€controlled€substance€by€fraud,€twenty€counts€of€obtaining€a€schedule€IIIÏcontrolled€substance€by€fraud€and€seven€counts€of€obtaining€a€schedule€IV€controlledÍsubstance€by€fraud,€all€class€D€felonies.€€He€filed€an€application€for€pretrial€diversionÏthat€explained€that€he€had€developed€a€drug€addiction€after€suffering€a€painful€legÏinjury€that€required€eight€reconstructive€surgeries.€€On€the€application,€the€defendantÏstressed€that€he€did€not€believe€that€the€drugs€ever€impaired€or€compromised€theÏtreatment€he€offered€his€patients.€€€He€also€noted€that€he€had€completed€a€thirty„dayÏdrug€rehabilitation€program€since€his€arrest€and€that€he€planned€to€complete€anÏoutpatient€program€that€would€take€between€three€to€six€months€and€a€long€termÏtreatment€plan€which€would€contractually€obligate€him€to€be€free€from€drugs€for€a€five„year€period.€€€ÌÌà àIn€a€letter€dated€April€5,€1994,€the€prosecuting€attorney€denied€theÏapplication€for€the€following€reasons:ÌÓ  ÓÓÓà8 à(1)€Mr.€Harmuth€occupied€a€position€of€trust€and€authority€inÏthe€community.€.€.€.€From€the€evidence€presented,€he€clearlyÏviolated€this€trust€and€authority€by€using€his€position€of€trustÏand€authority€to€gain€sufficient€information€to€commitÏcriminal€violations.€€Specifically,€Mr.€Harmuth€used€hisÏmedical€practice€to€gain€names€of€patients€and€then€usedÏhis€position€as€a€medical€doctor€to€fraudulently€writeÏprescriptions€and€fraudulently€obtain€[s]chedule€II,€III,€and€IVÏ[c]ontrolled€[s]ubstances€using€the€patientsðð€names.€ÏMedical€doctors€are€licensed€by€the€State€and€take€an€oath.€ÏThey€are€called€upon€to€act€in€accordance€with€an€evenÏhigher€standard€than€that€applied€to€the€average€citizen.€ÏThe€facts€and€circumstances€of€.€.€.€this€case€indicate€thatÏ[the€defendant]€violated€his€position€of€trust€and€authority.ÌÌà8 à(2)€€The€actions€of€Mr.€Harmuth€were€obviously€intentional,Ïas€the€criminal€activity€continued€over€several€months.€ÍSpecifically,€Mr.€Harmuthððs€criminal€activity€continued€fromÏat€least€July€1993€to€early€February€1994.€€Mr.€Harmuth€hasÏbeen€charged€.€.€.€with€fraudulently€obtaining€the€followingÏ[c]ontrolled€[s]ubstances:€at€least€30€[schedule€III]€in€JulyÏ1993;€at€least€30€[schedule€III]€and€[50€schedule€IV]€inÏAugust€1993;€at€least€165€[schedule€III]€in€[SeptemberÏ1993];€at€least€20€[schedule€II]€and€30€[schedule€III]€and€130Ï[schedule€IV]€in€[October€1993];€at€least€20€[schedule€II]€andÏ[740€schedule€III]€and€30€[schedule€IV]€in€November€1993;Ïat€least€70€[schedule€II]€and€30€[schedule€III]€and€10Ï[schedule€IV]€in€January€1994;€and€at€least€60€[schedule€II]Ïand€50€[schedule€IV]€in€February€1994.€€The€facts€andÏcircumstances€of€this€case€.€.€.€indicate€that€the€[d]efendantððsÏcriminal€activity€is€not€indicative€of€an€isolated€mistake,€butÏrather€show€a€continuing€scheme€or€plan€to€engage€inÏcriminal€endeavors€which€ended€only€upon€theÏ[defendantððs]€arrest.ÌÌà8 à(3)€In€addition,€to€let€such€conduct€go€unpunished€wouldÏerode€public€confidence€in€the€medical€profession€and€theÏcriminal€justice€system.€€As€a€medical€doctor,€theÏ[d]efendant€holds€a€highly€respected€position€in€theÏcommunity.€€Giving€the€[d]efendant€[pretrial€diversion]€justÏbecause€he€is€a€[d]octor,€would€certainly€appearÏinappropriate€to€the€general€public€and€would€appear€to€theÏgeneral€public€that€the€[d]efendant€is€receiving€preferentialÏtreatment€because€of€his€ð ðstatusðð.ÌÌà8 à(4)€There€is€a€serious€issue€of€deterrence€that€must€beÏconsidered€when€weighing€factors€concerning€[pretrialÏdiversion].€€The€[d]efendantððs€criminal€behavior€must€beÏdeterred€and€granting€him€[pretrial€diversion]€would€notÏserve€as€a€deterrent€to€this€type€of€behavior,€either€to€Mr.ÏHarmuth,€or€to€others€who€might€be€inclined€to€commit€suchÏacts.€€There€exists€a€strong€public€policy€regarding€theÏillegal€taking€of€[c]ontrolled€[s]ubstances€and€regardingÏobtaining€[c]ontrolled€[s]ubstances€in€an€illegal€manner.€ÏCertainly€medical€doctors€are€in€a€position€to€easily€violateÏdrug€related€offenses.€€There€must,€therefore,€be€a€strongÍelement€of€deterrence€to€this€type€of€crime.€€œTo›€[agree€toÏpretrial€diversion]€in€œthisÌà8 àcase€would€not€serve›€to€protect€the€public€from€œsuch€Ìà8 àactivities.›ÌÌà8 à(5)€Mr.€Harmuth,€as€a€medical€doctor,€was€entrusted€with€theÏcare€of€numerous€patients.€€As€stated€above,€he€violated€theÏtrust€of€those€patients€by€fraudulently€placing€their€namesÏon€prescriptions€for€controlled€substances.€€In€addition,€Mr.ÏHarmuth€was€conducting€medical€procedures,€surgeriesÏand€birthing€procedures€while€under€the€influence€ofÏ[s]chedule€II,€III,€and€IV€[c]ontrolled€[s]ubstances.€€The€safetyÏand€well„being€of€these€patients€was€certainly€compromisedÏby€Mr.€Harmuthððs€criminal€behavior.ÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓà àThe€defendant€petitioned€the€trial€court€for€a€writ€of€certiorari€to€review€theÏdenial€of€pretrial€diversion€on€the€record.€€At€the€certiorari€hearing,€the€prosecutorÏtestified€that€he€denied€pretrial€diversion€based€on€the€factors€listed€in€the€letter.€€HeÏalso€said€that€he€reviewed€the€defendantððs€application€in€some€detail€and€was€notÏunmindful€of€the€defendantððs€lack€of€a€criminal€record€and€standing€in€the€community.€ÏHe€acknowledged€that€the€defendantððs€drug€addiction€may€have€begun€in€1987€afterÏhe€injured€his€leg€and€said€that,€at€the€defendantððs€request,€he€had€talked€to€one€of€theÏdoctors€involved€in€treating€the€defendant€for€his€addiction.€€ÌÌà àThe€defendant€also€testified€at€the€hearing.€€He€admitted€his€guilt€to€theÏcharged€offenses€and€stressed€the€rehabilitation€efforts€he€had€made€since€his€arrest.€ÏHe€explained€that€his€drug€addiction€began€when€he€broke€his€leg€in€1987.€€He€saidÏthat€while€he€was€at€the€Mayo€Clinic€in€1990€undergoing€tests€and€physical€therapy€onÍhis€leg,€he€sought€and€received€treatment€for€a€codeine€addiction.€€He€testified€that€heÏwas€only€taking€over„the„counter€drugs€in€the€summer€of€1993€until€he€reinjured€hisÏleg€and€began€consuming€sample€narcotics€from€his€office.€€He€said€that€as€the€pain€inÏhis€leg€continued,€he€enlisted€the€help€of€his€mother€and€began€writing€prescriptions€inÏher€name€and€eventually€used€€the€names€of€his€sister,€girlfriend,€and€an€employee€toÏobtain€drugs.€€The€defendant€admitted€taking€large€amounts€of€drugs€during€monthsÏwhen€he€was€treating€patients€but€denied€that€drugs€ever€impaired€his€ability€to€treatÏpatients.ÌÌà àThe€trial€court€held€that€there€was€no€abuse€of€discretion€in€theÏprosecutor€declining€to€grant€the€defendant€pretrial€diversion.€€Although€the€trial€courtÏrejected€the€prosecutorððs€conclusion€that€doctors€or€other€professionals€are€ineligibleÏfor€pretrial€diversion€because€of€public€perception,€it€ruled€that€he€had€considered€allÏthe€appropriate€factors€and€that€given€the€circumstances€of€the€case,€including€theÏbreach€of€trust,€the€ongoing€planned€criminal€conduct,€and€the€need€for€deterrence,Ïsubstantial€evidence€supported€his€decision€to€deny€pretrial€diversion.€ÌÌà àThe€decision€to€grant€or€deny€an€application€for€pretrial€diversion€is€in€theÏdiscretion€of€the€prosecuting€attorney.€€T.C.A.€ðð€40„15„105;€òòState€v.€Hammersleyóó,€650ÏS.W.2d€352,€253€(Tenn.€1983);€òòState€v.€Carróó,€861€S.W.2d€850,€855€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.Í1993).€€On€a€petition€for€certiorari,€the€hearing€conducted€by€the€trial€court€is€limited€toÏtwo€issues:ÌÓ  Óà8 à(1)€whether€the€accused€is€eligible€for€diversion;€andÌÓÓà8 à(2)€whether€there€was€an€abuse€of€discretion€by€theÏprosecuting€attorney€in€refusing€to€divert€the€accused.ÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓòòState€v.€Watkinsóó,€607€S.W.2d€486,€488€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1980).ÌÌà àIn€making€the€initial€determination,€the€prosecuting€attorney€mustÏconsider€(1)€the€circumstances€of€the€offense,€(2)€the€accusedððs€criminal€record,€(3)€theÏaccusedððs€social€history,€(4)€the€accusedððs€physical€and€mental€condition,€(5)€theÏdeterrent€effect€of€punishment€upon€other€criminal€activity,€(6)€the€accusedððsÏamenability€to€correction,€(7)€the€likelihood€that€pretrial€diversion€will€serve€the€ends€ofÏjustice€and€the€best€interests€of€the€accused€and€the€public,€(8)€the€accusedððs€attitude,Ïbehavior€since€arrest,€home€environment,€current€drug€usage,€emotional€stability,€pastÏemployment,€general€reputation,€family€stability€and€attitude€of€law€enforcement.€€òòStateÏv.€Washingtonóó,€866€S.W.2d€950,€951€(Tenn.€1993).€€Thus,€the€nature€andÏcircumstances€of€the€alleged€offenses€are€not€the€only€appropriate€factors€to€beÏconsidered€upon€application€for€diversion,€but€they€may€provide€a€sufficient€basis€forÏdenial.€€òòCarróó,€861€S.W.2d€at€855;€òòState€v.€Suttonóó,€668€S.W.2d€678,€680€(Tenn.€Crim.ÏApp.€1984).€€Also,€a€sustained€intent€to€violate€the€law,€as€opposed€to€impulsiveÍcriminal€behavior,€may€be€a€factor€in€denying€diversion.€€òòState€v.€Lovvornóó,€691€S.W.2dÏ574,€577€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1985).ÌÌà àThe€decision€of€a€prosecuting€attorney€to€grant€or€deny€pretrial€diversionÏis€presumptively€correct€and€it€will€not€be€set€aside€absent€a€ð ðpatent€or€gross€abuse€ofÏprosecutorial€discretion.ðð€€òòHammersleyóó,€650€S.W.2d€at€356€(quoting€òòState€v.€Paceóó,€566ÏS.W.2d€861,€870€(Tenn.€1978),€concurring€opinion,€Henry,€C.J.).€€Thus,€on€appeal,€theÏrecord€must€be€void€of€any€substantial€evidence€in€support€of€the€decision€before€thisÏcourt€may€find€an€abuse€of€discretion€by€the€prosecuting€attorney.€€òòHammersleyóó,€650ÏS.W.2d€at€356;€òòCarróó,€861€S.W.2d€at€856.ÌÌà àThe€defendant€argues€that€the€prosecutor€abused€his€discretion€byÏdenying€his€request€for€pretrial€diversion€because€he€failed€to€consider€the€favorableÏfacts€listed€in€his€application€and€because€the€record€is€void€of€any€substantialÏevidence€supporting€the€generalððs€decision.€€We€disagree.€€The€prosecutorððs€testimonyÏestablished€that€he€considered€all€the€facts€listed€in€the€defendantððs€application€forÏpretrial€diversion.€€ÌÌÓ#` °‹X)0*ŒX#Óà àAlthough€we€recognize€that€the€evidence€indicates€that€the€defendant€isÏmaking€a€sincere€effort€to€overcome€the€drug€addiction€that€motivated€him€to€commitÏthese€crimes,€we€agree€with€the€trial€courtððs€conclusion€that€sufficient€evidenceÍsupports€the€prosecutorððs€decision€to€deny€pretrial€diversion.€€By€fraudulently€filling€outÏthirty„seven€prescriptions€over€less€than€an€eight„month€period€of€time,€the€defendantÏdemonstrated€a€sustained€intent€to€violate€the€law.€€Moreover,€his€addiction€relapse€isÏa€negative€factor€relative€to€rehabilitation€potential.€€Based€on€the€defendantððsÏsustained€intent€to€violate€the€law,€the€need€for€deterrence,€and€the€otherÏcircumstances€of€this€case,€we€conclude€that€the€prosecutor€did€not€abuse€hisÏdiscretion€by€denying€the€defendantððs€request€for€pretrial€diversion.€€Obviously,€thisÏopinion€does€not€forecloseÑ€,ÑÇconsideration€œof›€judicial€diversion€if€the€circumstances€then€existing€merit€it.€€However,Ïthe€trial€courtððs€order€denying€the€defendantððs€petition€for€a€writ€of€certiorari€is€affirmed.ÌÓ` °˜XÓÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àóóJoseph€M.€Tipton,€Judge€ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌGary€R.€Wade,€JudgeÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóPaul€G.€Summers,€Judge€