Doctor appeals drugs/sex conviction

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A doctor convicted of trading prescription painkillers for sex with patients is appealing his conviction, alleging the women who testified against him lied.
Bernard Rottschaefer, 62, of Plum, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison in September for writing illegal prescriptions. The sentence was stayed pending appeal.
Rottschaefer's attorneys said they have letters that one of the women who testified against him sent to her former boyfriend while he was in prison.
In the letters, the attorneys said, Jennifer Riggle said she planned to lie to a grand jury and at trial in hopes of getting a reduced sentence for her own drug charges.
Riggle ended up with five years' probation for selling the pain reliever OxyContin.
The former boyfriend, Barron Shelton, turned the letters over to prosecutors in November.
Rottschaefer's attorneys hope the letters lead to a new trial. The lawyers also said the other women who testified all knew one another and conspired to lie because they were also in trouble with the law.
Riggle and Shelton could not be reached for comment.
Prosecutors are expected to answer the claims by the end of the month.