Tiger Woods has filed a motion to block prosecutors in his DUI case, citing privacy concerns, in a Florida court. Even as he remains in Switzerland seeking treatment after his second arrest on DUI charges, Woods is defying prosecutors in the case.
Lawyers for the legendary five-time Masters champion filed a new motion in a Florida court Wednesday, a move that, if approved by a judge, would stop prosecutors’ attempts to get their hands on his list of prescription drugs. When he was arrested on March 27, Woods admitted to police that he “took a few” prescription medications, according to an account by Court TV.
The filing could determine whether prosecutors gain access to Woodsâ prescription drug records â a key battleground in the case.
“Woods told the investigators that he takes medicines for high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as ibuprofen and Vicodin for pain,” according to the Court TV report.
But police said they found hydrocodone pills in Woods’ possession at the scene of the accident where he rolled his SUV and struck another vehicle, according to a USA Today report, which described the drug as “a potent opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain.”
Opioid medications, even when taken with a prescription, can be highly addictive.
Woods also refused to submit to a urinalysis test following his arrest, a test to reveal whether a subject has opioids or other drugs in the bloodstream. Refusing a urine test is against Florida law. But if Woods had something to hide, his new legal move is designed to keep it hidden.
Lawyers Tell Court Woods Has ‘Right to Privacy’
On April 7, prosecutors in the case filed a notice with the court saying they intended to file a subpoena compelling a Florida pharmacy, where Woods obtains his medications, to turn over all recent records of drugs prescribed for the legendary golfer.
“Those records would include the drug name, the number of pills in the prescription, the dosage amount and any special instructions and warnings â including any that advise against operating a motor vehicle after taking them,” Court TV reported.
The prosecutors said that they would file for the subpoena on April 22, but a week in advance of that date, Woods, through his lawyers, filed a motion to stop the prosecutors, claiming Woods’ “right to privacy.”
âThe defense objects to the issuance of a subpoena and requests the court to conduct a hearing to determine if the prescription records are ârelevant to the criminal investigation,ââ Woods attorney Douglas Duncan said Wednesday, as quoted by USA Today.
In their court motion, Woods’ lawyers declared, “Mr. Woods has a constitutional right to privacy interest in his prescription records.”
Next Court Hearing Set for April 23
The Woods motion also asks that the golfer’s prescription information remain secret, even if the judge grants prosecutors their subpoena and the prescription drug records are seized.
“Should the subpoena for the prescription records be granted, Woodsâ attorneys have asked that they be covered by a protective order that would allow the documents to be reviewed only by prosecutors, law enforcement officers, experts retained for the case and the defense,” according to the Court TV report.
The next hearing in the Woods case is scheduled for April 23, but whether Woods â who was granted legal permission to leave the United States to seek treatment â will be present remains unclear. But no hearing on the subpoena request, and motion to block it, has been scheduled as of Wednesday.
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