Pubdate: Wed, 02 May 2001
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: Lolita Harper
Note: News from Burbank in the Times Community Newspapers

'WEST WING' CREATOR CHARGED WITH FELONIES

Counts Added After Additional Cocaine-Based Drugs Are Found.

BURBANK -- Aaron Sorkin, the creator of NBC-TV's drama the "West
Wing," was charged Monday with two felony counts of illegal drug possession.

The Los Angeles County District Atty.'s office also filed a
misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana, spokeswoman Sandi
Gibbons said.

Sorkin, 39, of Studio City, will be arraigned today in Burbank
Superior Court.

The writer originally faced a possible misdemeanor after police
allegedly found hallucinogenic mushrooms in his carry-on bag at
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport April 15.

Those charges were to be filed by the Burbank city attorney. However,
after chemical tests on the contents of the bag allegedly in Sorkin's
luggage discovered two small pieces of a cocaine-based drug, the case
was sent back to the district attorney's office, Gibbons said.

Burbank City Attorney Dennis Barlow had no comment about the case.
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