Pills, heated argument focus of ex-coach's trial

Published online on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007

On a day that began with sheriff's deputies trying to muscle a lawyer out of the courtroom and included concerns about possible jury misconduct, Adrian Wiggins took the witness stand Tuesday in the Stacy Johnson-Klein sexual-discrimination trial to say he was worried about her use of prescription drugs several months before she was fired in 2005.

Wiggins testified in Fresno County Superior Court that, as an assistant coach on a Fresno State women's basketball team led by Johnson-Klein, he had come to worry about her use of prescription painkillers.

Wiggins said he initially thought Johnson-Klein's use was strictly recreational: take a pill or two and "feel the buzz." But in late 2004, Wiggins said, he began to suspect a serious problem as her behavior on and off the court became more erratic.

Wiggins said he finally confronted Johnson-Klein at the start of a practice in the Save Mart Center in December 2004.

Johnson-Klein showed up about 10 minutes late, Wiggins said. He said they greeted each other while the players were doing a drill, and Johnson-Klein apologized for being late.

Johnson-Klein explained she and her doctor had settled some issues regarding her prescription medications, Wiggins said.

Wiggins said he asked Johnson-Klein, "Stacy, listen, do you think you have a problem with pain pills?"

Wiggins said Johnson-Klein replied, "No. I actually asked my doctor the same thing. He laughed at me. [He said] 'You're taking only four to five [pills] a day. If you were taking 15 to 20, then you'd have a problem.'"

Court records suggest Johnson-Klein may have been taking more than 15 prescription pills a day in her final months at Fresno State.

Coach bought hundreds of pills

The records show that from late October 2004 through late January 2005, Johnson-Klein bought 1,800 pills of prescription painkillers, anti-depressants and muscle relaxants from a supermarket pharmacy in Fresno. This includes 900 pills of hydrocodone (which often goes by the brand name Vicodin) or OxyContin. Both are powerful narcotic painkillers.

According to the court records, Johnson-Klein refilled her prescriptions for the painkillers, anti-depressants and muscle relaxants approximately each month. Based on the rate and timing of refills, the purchases suggest she was taking about 16 pills a day.

The pills were prescribed by two doctors.

Court records do not indicate which side in the trial put Johnson-Klein's pharmacy records in the file.

So far, only 900 of the 1,800 pills have been introduced as evidence in the trial. Johnson-Klein in earlier testimony did not dispute buying the 900 pills of hydrocodone and OxyContin. She said she took the pills only as prescribed, and they did not affect her behavior or judgment.

Johnson-Klein's alleged drug use has been a prominent issue in a trial now in its eighth week.

Fresno State fired her in March 2005, alleging she violated university policies, including taking a half-bottle of Vicodin from sophomore guard Chantella Perera in October 2004. The university says her behavior posed a threat to the health and welfare of her players.

Johnson-Klein doesn't dispute the Perera incident, saying she made a one-time mistake because she was in pain from injuries suffered in a car accident.

Fresno State fired her because she was a strong advocate for gender equality in an athletic department that has historically favored men, Johnson-Klein says. She filed a lawsuit in August 2005.

But since Fresno State began presenting its case last week, witnesses have portrayed Johnson-Klein as a woman increasingly obsessed with acquiring prescription painkillers.