Faced with mounting criticism over his addiction memoir, "A Million Little Pieces" author James Frey brought out two fellow Hazelden attendees in an attempt to validate the treatment stories in his book.

The New York Times reported Jan. 25 that Frey and his publishers, Doubleday and Anchor Books, both part of Random House, arranged for reporters to talk to former Louisiana state judge Alan J. Green and another Hazelden patient named Richard, who did not want his last name used. Both described Frey's book as reasonably accurate, although they did not verify the more cinematic incidents related by Frey, such as fights between patients.

Frey has admitted that some parts of his book were embellished, but insisted that his accounts of his treatment experience were accurate. Frey never named Hazelden as the treatment center in his book, but this week's introductions of fellow attendees confirmed his attendance there. A number of former Hazelden employees have slammed Frey's book as false and misleading.

Green said he was Frey's roommate at Hazelden. "Overall, I think he gave a pretty accurate description," he said. "There may have been some differences in how I would have described things ... There may have been some pushing and shoving, but as far as knock-down-drag-outs, I don't recall ever witnessing anything like that."

Green could not verify Frey's story about arriving at Hazelden with a hole in his cheek or having his nose rebroken and reset at Hazelden, but did say that anyone needing medical treatment would have been sent outside the facility.

"Richard" described Frey's treatment stories as "pretty much" accurate but also said, "I saw a lot of edginess, people getting in each other's faces, but I don't remember any knock-down-drag-outs." And he could not confirm Frey's stories about patients gambling during group counseling sessions.

Reacting to the statements from Green and Richard, Frey said, "It appears that my fellow patients in treatment have essentially corroborated my account, and any differences are incidental."