Defense says doctor testimony only proves "sloppy" records by Chua

During cross examination by defense attorney Donald Samuel told Grubb the only thing he could tell jurors was Chua kept "sloppy" records.
But Chua was in a unique position to be familiar with Carter's ailments because they lived and worked together, Samuel said.
"You, unlike Dr.Chua, were unable to see Jamie Carter on a day to day basis," Samuel said.
Grubb said he "didn't see a rational basis" for Chua to keep prescribing pain killers to Carter to treat his headaches.
Carter had seen many doctors who had prescribed some of the same drugs as Chua, Samuel said.
The difference, Grubb said, is it appeared other doctors tried to avoid prescribing narcotic pain killers to Carter, even though some were prescribed. Carter also received narcotic pain killers when he was hospitalized in 2003, Samuel said medical records showed.
Samuel attacked Grubb's credibilty for failing to mention Carter passes a drug test given by another physican who expressed concerns about Carter possibly having a substance abuse problem. The drug test Carter passed likely told Chua his patient did not have a drug addiction problem, Samuel said.
When Chua prescribed methadone to Carter less than a week before his death on Dec. 15, 2005, there was nothing in the medical records saying he should take any other drugs prescribed earlier, Grubb said.
"There's nothing in any record saying use them all at once," Samuel said of other medications prescribed before the methadone.
Court was adjourned for lunch at 12:45 p.m. and testimony will resume at 1:45 p.m. Prosecutors are expected to rest their case against Chua this afternoon after testimony by several Carter family members.