Anaesthetist dubbed ‘Doctor Death’ jailed for life for poisonings that left 12 dead
A former French anaesthetist who fatally poisoned 12 patients to ‘show off his resuscitation skills’ has been jailed for life.
Frédéric Péchier, 53, has been found guilty of contaminating infusion bags with substances that caused cardiac arrests or hemorrhaging in several patients at two clinics in Besançon.
Prosecutors last week described Dr Péchier as ‘Doctor Death, a poisoner, a murderer’ who ‘brings shame on all doctors.’
They have also asserted that he is ‘one of the greatest criminals in history’ who ‘used medicine to kill.’
The doctor is said to have introduced potassium, local anaesthetics, adrenaline, or heparin into IV bags, which were then given to patients.
In total, Dr Péchier poisoned 30 child and adult patients, in an alleged attempt to discredit co-workers.
His youngest alleged victim was four-year-old Teddy who survived two cardiac arrests during a routine tonsil surgery in 2016.
The oldest alleged victim was 89.
An investigation was launched in 2017, after there were suspicious cardiac arrests during operations on patients otherwise considered low-risk.
The anaesthetist, who previously insisted ‘I’m not a poisoner’ in court, appeared unmoved when the verdict was read.
Judge Delphine Thibierge said: ‘You will be incarcerated immediately.’
He has ten days to lodge an appeal.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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