Doctor Probed In Death Of 2nd Pro Wrestler

(CBS)  Federal authorities have already indicted Dr. Phil Astin on seven counts of over-prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two of his patients, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

"Dr. Astin allegedly prescribed these drugs like candy without regard for appropriate medical practice or recipients' health," said U.S. Attorney David Nahmias.

Now the Georgia doctor facing life in prison on those charges is also under the microscope for the deaths of two pro wrestlers who were his patients: Michael Durham, AKA Johnny Grunge, who died in his sleep in February 2006, and Chris Benoit, WWE's star wrestler whose shocking death ignited an investigation into prescription drug and steroid abuse.

Police found anabolic steroids prescribed by Dr. Astin inside Benoit's home after he allegedly strangled his wife and son before hanging himself in late June.

According to the search warrant, Astin had prescribed Benoit with a ten-month supply of steroids every three to four weeks between May of 2006 and May of this year.

Still, Astin has not been charged in connection with the Benoit case, adds Miller.

"There's no link to steroids charged against him — there's nothing," said Manny Arora, Dr. Astin's attorney. "There's nothing sensational in this case."

Steroid use has greatly increased in sports from baseball to wrestling over the last decade.

Sportswriter Luis Fernando Llosa has been investigating their use by pro athletes, and he suggests that the time has come for regulating pro wrestling.

"They are dying at 10 to 20 percent higher rates than other people their age," said Llosa of Sports Illustrated.

Toxicology reports on Michael Durham are pending, and Benoit's are due out this week. The Drug Enforcement Administration, now in charge of the investigation, told CBS that Astin has plead not guilty and faces 20 years for each of the counts against him.

[thepitts5]

I am surprised at how many "experts" we have about anabolic steroids.. To blame the deaths on anabolics is beyond silly and those who research them will tell you that.. Roid rage is not a "documented" fact.. Many studies will refute the wholesale idea of "roid rage".. But, it sure sells more than alcohol and painkillers..
Most of the deaths linked to wrestling are from recreational drug use and excessive drinking.. Many are hooked on painkillers and drink.. The fact that the media is trying to leave out in regards to the murder/suicide is the amount of piankillers and beer/wine found at the scene.. It is not as much of "attention getter" as anabolic steroids.. You will see that when the autopsy comes out..
So before everyone here starts pointing fingers at the anabolic steroid users, do some research.. And by research I mean from doctors/researchers in the field.. Not the doctors that the news is interviewing from the free clinic..
Is the doctor in question guilty of prescribing drugs that should not have been prescribed?.. Who knows.. No one here knows.. But, many doctors hand out painkillers a little too frquently which is highly addictive.. Chris Benoit was a sick/depressed man.. His own friends are now coming out and saying that now.. Anabolics do not make you strangle your wife and lay a bible by her head then kill your son.. But, alcohol has been linked to such crimes all the time.. Do you think the feds will raid beer manufactures next?.. Doubtful..

[justinmfi]

YOu people disgust me. To blame steroids for this horiffic situation is just flat out stupid, this man obviously had problems, of course the drugs did take part in it, but he was a very good man up until the last two days of his life, roid rage does not last for a weekend, only a short period of time, he killed his wife, when he realized what he had done, his son was a mercy killing, knowing that once all the dust had settled, if he was alive and did have the x syndrome, there wouldn't be anyone to take care of him the way his parents could have. I will remember Chris Benoit for what he did to the sport of wreslting, not what he did the last two days he spent on this earth, may god have mercy on his soul.

[ivandrago]

I don't think that Benoit was particularly stupid. He was indifferent to the negative effects. He knew what would probably happen (not the murder thing) and simply didn't care. Indifference can be a kind of evil. Indifference allows a person to let somebody die in the street. It's allows people to steal, and kill without shame. Benoit was indifferent. For that matter Pres. Bush is indifferent.

[mercyme884]

well shoot, who cares if they are stupid enough to kill themselves nobody forced them to take steroids. they did it because they chose to do it. He wasn't deranged he was stupid. get real people you can't change a thing .

[peacefulady]

When do we begin to hold the promoters of this abhorence of testosterone accountable for promoting, supporting, and living off of the monies that are earned from this? In a televised interview after Benoit died, McMann had the audacity to say that the sole reason he and the wrestlers do what they do is to put a smile on people's faces! McMann tried to distance himself and the profession from Benoit, calling him a monster. Drugs change people. My concern is that these men and women are looked at as role models. Our culture is in enough trouble. When do we start to as citizens taking pro-active responsibility for our children, our families, and our communities? Wake up America!

[jinxkity]

The whole Beniot thing has too many conveniences to make this a murder/suicide. First, when the bodies are discovered, the WWE puts out a statement that the boy was mentally slow and hinted at sydrome X. Hm-m-m is someone trying to put a reason on Beniot for killing him? This proves to be a lie, which the WWE has now stopped commenting on. And the doctor ... if Beniot was the mule for the drugs in the WWE, who would lose the most? And, what if Beniot knew the feds where closing in and decided to go public? Then there's the whole over done parts of the crime scene ... the bibles by the bodies, him using a signature move to kill them; which by the way, if anyone knows anything about submission choking, that is NOT the way it's done (check out the UFC if you want to see the real deal). And if you don't think McMahon has the power to pull something off to this level, think again. Everything's just too convenient.

[drummer94]

UHhuh. Entertainment. Not a sport. Not an event. Entertainment, and entertainers get paid. And sometimes, they die. Steroids are drugs,folks. Nothing more or less. And drugs sometimes kill people. Themselves and others. A sad commentary on society.

[sunseeker6]

Isn't the person who willing took the steriods also at fault? it's not as if there isn't common knowledge that steriods are bad for you. The true victims are the dead Wife and Son.

[brian31462]

If this Dr. was prescribing the amount of drugs they claim to an individual, he was probably getting the drugs from sources other than regular pharmacology sources and filling the scrips himself, so his nurses would not notice or so the pharmacy could not see what was going on. I recently (within last 4 years) give me a years worth of Darvocet at one time. Not good. He is no longer practicing medicine either.

[penelope1201]

doesn't anybody realize with all the movies & publicity what steroids do the mind???? i cannot believe these drugs are legal, much less doctors who rx them.