BUSINESS: Readers Recall Ecstasy Death Case; Acquitted Super Dentist Responds

AUGUST 20, 2009 – Some readers who saw the August 19 story about The Super Dentists posted comments on Facebook.com about a 2001 incident in which Dr. Kami Hoss was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Hoss was alleged to have supplied Sandra Rodriquez with Ecstasy that led to an ill reaction, causing her to fall to her death at a Long Beach hotel.

In 2002, Hoss was acquitted of all charges.

Our initial story was about the kid-friendly nature of The Super Dentists practice. In following up, sandiegoDTOWN.com weighed the fairness of dredging up a seven-year-old story about a man found not guilty of a crime. This Web site also considered the posters who felt it was fair for parents to have full disclosure about a childrens' care-giver.

Hoss was asked to respond, and he wrote this email, which runs in its entirety:

“Not a day goes by when I don't think of Ms. Rodriguez and the tragic incident that took her life. However, one of the reasons my wife and I moved to the United States so many years ago was because of great American principles such as innocent until proven guilty.

“By extension, that also means innocence after being proven innocent. A jury of my peers declared me not guilty on both charges.

“The death of Ms. Rodriguez was tragic, and my heart goes out to her family, but bringing up past charges isn't going to bring her back, especially charges on which I was acquitted.”