Karen Huger alleged that she went through withdrawal from prescription pills in a recently filed motion ahead of her DUI sentencing.
As the Real Housewives of Potomac star, 61, attempted to convince a judge to go easy on her at her sentencing on Wednesday, Karen said that she began using more anti-depressants after losing her parents and feeling pressured to provide “responsible leadership” to her castmates, which led to her March 2024 DUI arrest.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch Weekly on February 24, Karen filed a motion with her new attorneys, David A. Martella and Barry Helfand, after firing her former legal team.
“Ms. Huger’s mother died on Thanksgiving morning in 2017 of kidney failure and sepsis. Her father died seven months later on June 28, 2018 from the complications of Alzheimer’s and ‘of a broken heart.’ Those two losses, in quick succession, were for Ms. Huger, personally devastating and, in her opinion, may have been the straws that broke her back, arguably leading to several errors in judgment that led to her arrest in this case,” the motion explained.
As the motion explained, Karen planned to say that she had “drank in moderation.” However, after witnessing the body cam footage of her arrest in court, she was “shocked with embarrassment.”
“She had suffered a concussion from the exploding air bags, along with the alcohol and medication,” the documents continued. “Her difficulties that evening were the product of a combination of alcohol and a prescribed anti-depressant medication for depression. However, Ms. Huger eventually acquiesced to the legal advice of her counsel indicating that such circumstances might be mitigation – but is not a defense. This is because the taking of such a strong anti-depressant medication can amplify the effects of alcohol on one’s coordination. The taking of that prescribed medication is not a defense to DUI; to the contrary, it is more of a reason to avoid consuming alcohol before driving.”
The documents went on to state that Karen began taking the prescribed medication after being raped in college. At the time, she felt she could continue to drink in moderation.
“However, over time, the loss of her parents, and the pressures of being in the public eye – and the stress of providing responsible leadership on the TV show – continued to wear at her well-being. Over time the dosages of the medication went up – probably beyond prescribed recommendations – but the drinking in moderation remained the same. As she explains, ‘I was taking one pill after the assault and then I began taking two after my parents’ death. I appeared to be in control and had no noticeable issues that I was aware of,’” the paperwork stated.
As for the night of Karen’s arrest, the RHOP cast member reportedly believes that “the medication (combined with alcohol) impaired her ability to accurately assess her coordination.”
The defense then described the trial as a wake-up call for Karen, noting that she entered rehab shortly thereafter “to [treat] alcohol abuse; drug/medication abuse; and trauma.”
She also stopped taking anti-depressants at the end of last year, prior to entering rehab, which led to symptoms of withdrawal four nights later.
“She woke up completely drenched in sweat as she went through withdrawal,” her lawyers explained.
Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that Karen “has two prior DUI/DWI convictions plus a third one that was pled down to a reckless driving.”
“Ms. Huger does not appear to have taken any steps whatsoever to take accountability for her actions on March 19, 2024. In the nine months leading up to trial she did not enroll herself into any type of alcohol treatment program or support group. Instead, the Defendant spent 6 days at the Miraval Resort in Arizona in August of 2024- which her former defense attorneys depicted to the State as a ‘holistic wellness program.’ Miraval is not a rehab or counseling center of any kind and is rather quite simply a luxury spa,” they stated.
They also shared that Karen entered a different rehab only after she was convicted of driving while impaired/under the influence for a third time, and they mentioned that her latest rehab is described as a “luxury alcohol treatment center.”
Prosecutors are hoping to see Karen spend six months behind bars, followed by supervised probation, and they also want an interlock device installed on any car she drives and for her to attend a Mother’s Against Drunk Driving victim impact panel.
The Real Housewives of Potomac season nine reunion concludes on Sunday, March 2, at 8/7c on Bravo.
