By Jonathan Stempel(Reuters) - A Virginia doctor who prescribed more than 500,000 opioid doses in less than two years had his conviction and 40-year prison sentence thrown out by a federal appeals court on Friday, because the jury instructions misstated the law.
Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia also ordered a new trial for Joel Smithers, 41, who has been serving his sentence in an Atlanta prison.
Overprescription of painkillers is one of the main causes of the nation's opioid crisis.
Prosecutors said Smithers prescribed controlled substances including fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone to every patient he saw at the Martinsville, Virginia office he opened in August 2015.
Circuit Court of Appeals, No.
Persons:
Jonathan Stempel, Joel Smithers, Prosecutors, Smithers, Roger Gregory, Christopher Kavanaugh, Beau Brindley, resoundingly, Bill Berkrot
Organizations:
U.S, Circuit, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Supreme, of, 4th U.S
Locations:
Virginia, Richmond , Virginia, Atlanta, United States, Martinsville , Virginia, U.S, Western, of Virginia, 4th, New York