Justices seem to favor docs convicted in pain pill schemes

By MARK SHERMAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a case stemming from the opioid addiction crisis, the Supreme Court appears ready to side with two imprisoned doctors who wrote thousands of prescriptions for pain medication in short periods. The justices signaled Tuesday they would rule that the doctors’ trials were unfair because they were prevented from mounting a “good faith” defense that they did not intend any harm to patients. The court is weighing appeals from doctors each serving more than 20 years in prison. The case comes to the court amid record numbers of drug overdose deaths, many from the highly lethal opioid fentanyl.