08-17-2009, 07:34 PM
OUR VIEW: Dr. Keller: Resign
Comments
August 17, 2009
Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller went half way on Monday, resigning his paid position as medical director at the Waukegan methadone clinic, Green Dragonfly. He should go all the way and resign as coroner.
With the Lake County Stateâs Attorneyâs Office investigating Kellerâs involvement in the death of a 30-year-old Lindenhurst man who was prescribed methadone by the coroner, there is a cloud over the public office. It can only be dispersed with the resignation of Keller who already is a lame-duck. He announced, mainly due to the near-six-month stateâs attorneyâs probe, he would not seek re-election in 2012, when his current four-year term expires.
Keller was hired as medical director when the for-profit clinic opened its doors in October 2008, just a month before he was re-elected to a second term as coroner. For that alone, he has some explaining to do. Just what was the second-highest law enforcement officer in the county doing moonlighting prescribing drugs at a methadone clinic while being paid handsomely as coroner of Lake County?
That conflict, between being employed privately and publicly, became public with the Stateâs Attorneyâs Office investigation into the December 2008 death of Steven Vaughn. Vaughn, hooked on prescription painkillers, died after mixing methadone obtained from the Green Dragonfly with Xanax, an anxiety drug he was taking illegally.
One of the issues being examined by the Stateâs Attorneyâs Office is whether Keller, as coroner, followed proper protocol in reporting and investigating Vaughnâs death. Keller may not have violated standards, but it certainly was a conflict of interest.
This isnât the first time the Democratic coroner has played fast and loose with his official capacity. Last year, Keller testified under subpoena in a sexual assault case for the defense as an expert witness for a $150 fee. It was a trial where a 28-year-old man was accused of assaulting a 5-year-old child. Keller said that was the first time he had testified for the defense. He testified on technical matters concerning an emergency room physicianâs examination of the victim.
While Kellerâs resignation from the Green Dragonfly is effective next month, we believe it will be difficult, if not impossible, for him to divorce himself from the methadone clinic as long as the investigation into his actions are being examined. Which is why we believe he needs to leave the coronerâs office.
Comments
August 17, 2009
Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller went half way on Monday, resigning his paid position as medical director at the Waukegan methadone clinic, Green Dragonfly. He should go all the way and resign as coroner.
With the Lake County Stateâs Attorneyâs Office investigating Kellerâs involvement in the death of a 30-year-old Lindenhurst man who was prescribed methadone by the coroner, there is a cloud over the public office. It can only be dispersed with the resignation of Keller who already is a lame-duck. He announced, mainly due to the near-six-month stateâs attorneyâs probe, he would not seek re-election in 2012, when his current four-year term expires.
Keller was hired as medical director when the for-profit clinic opened its doors in October 2008, just a month before he was re-elected to a second term as coroner. For that alone, he has some explaining to do. Just what was the second-highest law enforcement officer in the county doing moonlighting prescribing drugs at a methadone clinic while being paid handsomely as coroner of Lake County?
That conflict, between being employed privately and publicly, became public with the Stateâs Attorneyâs Office investigation into the December 2008 death of Steven Vaughn. Vaughn, hooked on prescription painkillers, died after mixing methadone obtained from the Green Dragonfly with Xanax, an anxiety drug he was taking illegally.
One of the issues being examined by the Stateâs Attorneyâs Office is whether Keller, as coroner, followed proper protocol in reporting and investigating Vaughnâs death. Keller may not have violated standards, but it certainly was a conflict of interest.
This isnât the first time the Democratic coroner has played fast and loose with his official capacity. Last year, Keller testified under subpoena in a sexual assault case for the defense as an expert witness for a $150 fee. It was a trial where a 28-year-old man was accused of assaulting a 5-year-old child. Keller said that was the first time he had testified for the defense. He testified on technical matters concerning an emergency room physicianâs examination of the victim.
While Kellerâs resignation from the Green Dragonfly is effective next month, we believe it will be difficult, if not impossible, for him to divorce himself from the methadone clinic as long as the investigation into his actions are being examined. Which is why we believe he needs to leave the coronerâs office.