Pubdate: Fri, 11 Oct 2002
Source: The Dominion Post (WV)
Copyright: 2002 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.dominionpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1426
Author: KATIE LONG

MPD: HEROIN NOT TYPICAL STUDENT FARE

Law Professor's Son Died Of Drug OD

The hills of Morgantown form a quiet community, but not one impervious to 
the world's ills many think exist only in the "big city."

The word 'heroin' may conjure up images of rock stars and street people for 
some, but the recent death of Gabriel Friedberg, makes it apparent the big 
city is never far away. Friedberg, a 22-year-old WVU student, succumbed to 
a heroin overdose on Sept. 3, said his father, WVU law professor James 
Friedberg.

Friedberg's body was found by Morgantown Police after the Morgantown Fire 
Department responded to a call of an unconscious person at James and Helene 
Friedberg's Simpson Street home.

James Friedberg told WVU's The Daily Athenauem that an autopsy conducted by 
the West Virginia Medical Examiner's Office found that heroin was the main 
cause of his son's death.

The Friedbergs are out of town and could not be reached for comment.

To date, Morgantown police have not released the results of the autopsy 
report. Lt. Roy Zinn, detective supervisor, said that the case is still 
under investigation, but refused to give any further details.

He did say, however, that it does not appear to be a case of "bad" or 
tainted heroin on the streets. It appears to be "an isolated, accidental 
incident."

Gabriel Friedberg's death has caused some people to ask just how prevalent 
heroin is in Morgantown and in Monongalia County. Local police said that by 
and large, heroin is not all that common.

Detective Steve Ford, a former Morgantown Police task force member, said 
that heroin usually circulates through a small core of people in the city 
- -- usually locals, not students. And it seems that it is usually purchased 
out of town -- in Pittsburgh -- and brought in.

The "harder" drugs, such as heroin, cocaine and crack (a chunky, smokeable 
version of cocaine), are not typical student fare, he said. If students do 
experiment with drugs, they are more likely to try marijuana, prescription 
medications and Ecstasy.

"Marijuana is by far the biggest problem," he said.

Monongalia County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Capt. Al Kisner also 
said that, in his experience, heroin is rare.

"Have we seen a lot of it in our busts? No," he said. "Have we seen it 
being the cause of many of the overdoses we've investigated? No."

But, Kisner said, the department has been receiving information lately that 
several investigations involve people who may be using heroin.

"It may be that if those reports are true, it may be part of the reason for 
their criminal activity," he said.

Kisner said his department faces a far more serious problem with Oxycontin, 
a narcotic prescription painkiller.

"We're seeing a lot of that," he said. "We see Ecstasy from time to time, 
and of course, marijuana has always been around."

Kisner said that out in the county, his department also encounters quite a 
bit of crack use. He said crack is easily available from nearby cities such 
as Uniontown.

State Police Sgt. T. Helmick said his department also faces a problem with 
prescription drugs and marijuana, but that dealings with heroin are rare.

"I know our experience with heroin is uncommon around here," he said. "It's 
definitely not something we deal with on a daily basis, thank goodness."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens