BillsFever
07-19-2003, 08:09 PM
CHICAGO (AP) -- A Northwestern University doctor acknowledged burning records of a physical he gave Rashidi Wheeler three weeks before the football player died during a 2001 training drill.
Dr. Mark Gardner testified for nearly 6 1/2 hours Thursday in a lawsuit Wheeler's parents filed against the university. Only lawyers for Wheeler's family got to question Gardner before the deposition ended for the day. He is expected to continue testifying at a later date.
His attorney, Richard Donohue, said the doctor destroyed the records days after Wheeler's death and then checked himself into a hospital.
"He liked Rashidi, and it came out in the deposition that he liked Rashidi a lot," Donohue said Friday. "He was really distraught when this kid died."
Wheeler collapsed and died on Aug. 3, 2001, after participating in a conditioning drill. His parents sued Northwestern, claiming officials did not give their son, an asthmatic, proper medical treatment. Northwestern argues ephedra-containing supplements Wheeler was taking caused an irregular heartbeat that led to his death.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2003/07/18/northwestern_wheeler_ap/
Dr. Mark Gardner testified for nearly 6 1/2 hours Thursday in a lawsuit Wheeler's parents filed against the university. Only lawyers for Wheeler's family got to question Gardner before the deposition ended for the day. He is expected to continue testifying at a later date.
His attorney, Richard Donohue, said the doctor destroyed the records days after Wheeler's death and then checked himself into a hospital.
"He liked Rashidi, and it came out in the deposition that he liked Rashidi a lot," Donohue said Friday. "He was really distraught when this kid died."
Wheeler collapsed and died on Aug. 3, 2001, after participating in a conditioning drill. His parents sued Northwestern, claiming officials did not give their son, an asthmatic, proper medical treatment. Northwestern argues ephedra-containing supplements Wheeler was taking caused an irregular heartbeat that led to his death.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2003/07/18/northwestern_wheeler_ap/