Overdoses and Good Samaritan immunity

RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Court of Appeals found a woman indicted for possessing methamphetamine is not entitled to statutory “Good Samaritan” immunity from drug charges for people who are reported to emergency personnel as experiencing an overdose. She was not experiencing an overdose, but a 7-Eleven employee was concerned the woman had overdosed and called law enforcement to check on her. The statute requires defendants to actually experience an overdose, not merely — as in this case — that the person who reported the situation thought she might be experiencing an overdose.Read the ruling here.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads