Two Utah men pleaded guilty to practicing medicine without a license for drilling holes in a woman's skull, saying they intended to restore her childhood buoyancy. Peter Halvorson, 54, and William Lyons, 56, were placed on three years' probation, fined $500 and ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation on Monday. Prosecutors learned of the operation on the woman -- whose wounds apparently healed afterward -- from a 20/20 broadcast in February 2000. Burns said he is investigating whether an ABC reporter encouraged the surgery, which could lead to charges. Halvorson, who bored a hole in his own head 29 years ago with a power drill, said the case helped publicize the procedure. "It's personally been helpful to me. It provided an impulse to me to find a way to do this legally," he said. "But I'm not glad I was charged."
No License to Drill
Two Utah men pleaded guilty to practicing medicine without a license for drilling holes in a woman's skull, saying they intended to restore her childhood buoyancy. Peter Halvorson, 54, and William Lyons, 56, were placed on three years' probation, fined $500 and ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation on Monday. Prosecutors learned of the operation on the woman -- whose wounds apparently healed afterward -- from a 20/20 broadcast in February 2000. Burns said he is investigating whether an ABC reporter encouraged the surgery, which could lead to charges. Halvorson, who bored a hole in his own head 29 years ago with a power drill, said the case helped publicize the procedure. "It's personally been helpful to me. It provided an impulse to me to find a way to do this legally," he said. "But I'm not glad I was charged."
