Donald Nides, a former New Orleans Police
Department narcotics officer standing trial this week on federal charges of
helping "pill mills" avoid criminal investigation, was found dead at
his River Ridge home of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, his lawyer
said. (Naomi Martin, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Donald Nides, a former New
Orleans Police Department narcotics officer standing trial this week on federal
charges of helping "pill mills" avoid criminal investigation, was
found dead at his River Ridge home of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,
his lawyer said.
Jefferson Parish Coroner Dr.
Gerry Cvitanovich said he was notified by 911 operators around 6:30 a.m.
Wednesday (Nov. 5) that Nides, 64, died of a gunshot wound to the head.
The federal trial was entering
its third day, with testimony expected to turn to claims that Nides took sexual
favors and cash bribes from Tiffany Gambino Miller, co-owner of pain management
clinics in Slidell and Metairie who along with a doctor cut plea deals.
Nides, who was assigned to a
DEA task force, was wounded by Tuesday's testimony from former law enforcement
colleagues, who defense attorney Arthur "Buddy" Lemann accused of
lying on the stand.
"There was a certain
amount of eagerness about (the testimony) that really crushed him," Lemann
said.
Yet Nides seemed confident when
he left the courthouse, Lemann said.
"I liked our
chances," Lemann said.
Lemann said Nides's wife was
devastated by the death of her husband of more than 30 years. The couple had
two children and were expecting their first grandchild.
Lemann said he expected the
government was close to wrapping up its case, and he planned to put on the
testimony of Nides' former partner.
Lemann had painted Nides, a
veteran of 40 years in law enforcement, as a hardworking cop who had been
deceived by Miller and Dr. Joseph Mogan III, who ran the Omni Pain Management
clinic in Metairie and Omni Pain Management Plus in Slidell.a
Miller had yet to testify, but
prosecutors said she would testify that she performed oral sex on Nides in his
car and at the clinic on multiple occasions from 2007 to 2008, as well as
giving him envelopes of cash. In exchange, Nides advised Miller on how the
clinics could disguise the fact that the Omni clinics were "pill
mills" where doctors would write prescriptions for powerful painkilling
medications to patients with little justification.
Mogan testified that the
clinics raked in $1.5 million a year, money he split with Miller. Nides,
according to court records filed along with Mogan and Miller's plea agreements,
received cash payments of $600 to $2,000 on a weekly or biweekly basis.
Nides was free on bail since
his indictment in February.
'Very nice guy'
Nides lived with his wife on
3rd Street in River Ridge, a quiet, dead-end block that neighbors said is home
to many retirees. Several declined to be named, but described Nides as a
friendly, kind person.
The couple's single-story brick
house with white shutters sits on a manicured lawn that neighbors said was the
result of Nides' daily attention. He was constantly outside working on his
front yard landscaping, neighbors said, and would always wave to passing cars
and stop to chat to pedestrians.
"He kept his yard
immaculate," neighbor Wayne Pritchett said. "He was always out there
fooling with his garden and would always wave to you every day."
Nides and his family were
living there when Pritchett moved in 15 years ago. They became friendly, but
not close, Pritchett said, noting he had seen Nides outside working in his yard
on Sunday, the day before his trial started.
"I'm just sad to hear that
because as far as I know he's a very nice guy," Pritchett said. "I'm
sad for his wife and children."
As word trickled through the
road's residents Wednesday morning, neighbors visited on each other's front
stoops, discussing the surprising and sudden death of the man they knew as
friendly and even-keeled.
"Are you serious?"
one woman asked, shocked.
Several neighbors said they
hadn't heard of Nides' legal troubles and would have never suspected he would
be at the center of lurid allegations -- let alone kill himself over them.
"I'm sorry that it would
cause that," Debra Murphy said of his apparent suicide. "I wish that
he would've been able to get through it."
A woman at the Nides home
declined to speak to a reporter.
