[News Update] Benoit's Doctor Denies Prescribing Steroids

From ajc.com:

This afternoon, Astin's lawyer Manny Arora said his client was innocent of the charges and denied Astin ever prescribed steroids to Chris Benoit, who was his patient and friend for six years.

Arora told reporters outside the Russell Federal Building downtown that Arora also insisted that the case against Astin has nothing to do with Benoit's death last week.

"There's no connection and the indictments don't have a connection," Arora said.

Arora said he considers the case strictly a medical one and one that has become overblown because of the circumstances surrounding the Benoit deaths.

Astin, Arora said, is taking what's happened hard.

"He cares about the family," Arora added. "He's distraught and now he's been accused of somehow being involved in their deaths."

He predicted the doctor would be free by early evening, after the judge reviews the case and receives confirmation that the undisclosed location where he will be confined is properly set up for electronic monitoring.