California IN BRIEF : SANTA ANA : Doctor Sentenced in AIDS Drug Case

A Villa Park radiologist who developed a homemade AIDS drug was sentenced Wednesday to three years of informal probation and fined $12,000 for his part in advertising and selling the drug. Stephen Herman, 55, pleaded guilty in Central Municipal Court to 10 misdemeanor counts in connection with the sale of the drug called Viroxan. In July, he agreed to surrender his medical license after state prosecutors agreed to drop civil charges of gross negligence, incompetence, dishonesty and other offenses, said his attorney, Andrew Lloyd. A North Hollywood doctor, Valentine Birds, 59, lost his medical license for working with Herman and dispensing the drug. Four patients died after injecting themselves with Viroxan, officials said.