Tiger Woods fighting subpoena for drug records in DUI case, requesting hearing on relevance
Woods' attorney is attempting to prevent many of his personal prescription information from being released
Tiger Woods' attorney, Douglas Duncan, is attempting to block a subpoena from prosecutors asking to view the 50-year-old's prescription drug record, according to court documents obtained by CBS News. Prosecutors requested the following records at Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach, Florida from Jan. 1 to March 27: prescription type, number of pills, dosage amount, medication instructions, date of next refill and warnings, including vehicle operation.
"This right to privacy is admittedly not absolute should the State show the relevance of the records to its criminal investigation and thus warrant intrusion into Mr. Woods' privacy," Duncan wrote in the motion.
Woods was involved in a two-car crash on March 27 in which his SUV clipped the back side of a trailer near his home in Jupiter Island, Florida and rolled on its side. The 15-time major champion was charged with misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
Officers concluded that Woods was impaired, citing profuse sweating, bloodshot eyes and the discovery of two white hydrocodone pills in his pants pocket. Woods pleaded not guilty on March 31, demanding a trial by jury.
On April 1, Woods announced that he planned to step away from golf for an indefinite period to focus on his health. A Florida judge granted Woods' request to travel outside the United States for treatment in an inpatient facility.
"The Defense objects to the issuance of a subpoena and request the Court to conduct a hearing to determine if the prescription records are 'relevant to a criminal investigation,'" Duncan continued in his motion.
Should the subpoena be granted, Duncan has requested the court to enter a protective order governing the use and release of the records. Based on the request, only the state, its law enforcement officers, state experts and the defense would be able to confidentially review them.
"The records shall not be disclosed to any third parties, including Order prohibiting dissemination of the records by the State in response to any public records request," Duncan wrote. "If and when it becomes necessary for the State to publicly disclose said records or any portion of said records, that a hearing must be held to determine the necessity of said disclosure."
