Schneider trial

Belot presided over the trial of Stephen and Linda Schneider, charged with illegally distributing prescription painkillers.^[2] In that capacity, he threw out all but 4 of the 56 alleged patient overdose deaths Assistant United States Attorney Tanya Treadway attempted to link to the Schneiders, "sternly warned Treadway not to appeal his decision [and] also instructed the government not to use inflammatory descriptions like 'pill mill' in front of the jury."^[3] Belot also denied federal prosecutor Tanya Treadway's request for a gag order on Pain Relief Network founder and pain relief advocate Siobhan Reynolds, as well as her request for a change of venue.^[4]

However, by the time Belot sentenced the Schneiders to 30 years in prison in October 2010,^[2] "he was so irritated by Reynolds' advocacy on behalf of the couple that he could not contain himself."^[5] In his sentencing opinion,^[6] "he digressed to take a swipe at Ms. Reynolds and her group, though he did not get its name quite right," saying "he hoped the prison sentences would 'curtail or stop the activities of the Bozo the Clown outfit known as the Pain Control Network, a ship of fools if there ever was one.' He added that the group and its leaders were 'stupid' and 'deranged.'"^[2] Journalist Jacob Sullum referred to these statements as "an extraordinary tirade against Reynolds and PRN, neither of which was a party to the case," adding:

Is Belot really saying that one function of the heavy sentences imposed on the Schneiders is to deter Reynolds and like-minded activists from speaking out against such prosecutions in the future? That's certainly what it sounds like. Reynolds seems to have a real talent for getting under the skin of people in power. But that is not a crime—or at least it shouldn't be.^[7]