'West Wing' Creator Pleads Innocent

B U R B A N K, Calif., May 2 -- Aaron Sorkin, creator of the EmmyAward-winning show The West Wing, pleaded innocent to drugcharges today and issued a statement saying he hopes hisactions won't reflect poorly on his colleagues.

"Mr. Sorkin is genuinely humbled by the situation he isfacing," said his attorney Steve Sitkoff. "He and his family aretaking all necessary steps to ensure that he deals with the legaland personal matters at hand appropriately."

In court today, Sitkoff entered a plea of innocent forSorkin. Burbank Commissioner Kirkland Nyby delayed furtherproceedings until June 4 to allow an in-depth probation report.

Sorkin spoke only once during the brief court hearing,acknowledging he must return for his next court date.

Two Felony Counts

Sorkin, 39, remains free on $10,000 bail. He was arrested atBurbank Airport on April 15 after security officers found what theysaid was a small bag containing drugs in his luggage.

Prosecutors charged him with two felony counts of drugpossession — one for hallucinogenic mushrooms and one for rockcocaine along with one misdemeanor count for marijuana.

Outside court, Los Angeles County district attorney spokeswomanSandi Gibbons said if Sokin is convicted, as a first-time offender he probably wouldbe eligible for a drug diversion program.

The maximum penalty for conviction on either of the felony drugcounts could be three years in prison.

Protecting the 'President's' Image

"It is his sincere hope that his actions do not affect orreflect upon those with whom he works, cares for and respects,"Sitkoff said on behalf of his client.

Sorkin, who wrote The American President and A Few GoodMen, has acknowledged a freebase cocaine addiction that causedhim to check into the Hazelden Institute in Minnesota for treatmentin 1995.

He has also written scripts for The West Wing that dealtwith drug abuse and portrayed the president's chief of staff as arecovering addict.