On Wednesday, the police arrested the doctor from the intensive care unit. He was charged in the deaths of 25 patients, which, according to the police report, intentionally gave too large doses of painkillers.
The charges against Dr. William Hazel (43) represent one of the biggest murder cases ever to be filed against the medic in the United States.
He pleaded not guilty to 25 charges. The judge set bail at $1 million
Hazel dismissed from Mount Carmel Health System in December and denied a medical license after surfaced a suspicion of his guilt in the murders. An internal investigation by the hospital revealed that he had a potentially lethal dose of drugs to patients during 5 years of working in the hospital.
Lawyer Hazel stated that he did not plan to kill anyone.
The motive of the murder remains unclear. Although many patients were seriously ill, the hospital said that some could improve with treatment. In addition, police Sergeant Terry McConnell said none of the families who spoke with police, did not consider the incident a murder with mercy.
The Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’brien said that plans to charge other hospital personnel no.
Against the physician and health system Mount Carmel was made more than 2 dozen lawsuits, accusing of harming life. Mount Carmel has publicly apologized and settled some cases for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Ohio doctor charged with murder for allegedly administering lethal doses of opioid to 25 hospital patients pic.twitter.com/SHI2pxNqZZ
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Mount Carmel said they would investigate and take action against Hazel faster. They admitted that the doctor continued to treat more patients within 4 weeks after the last fall, were brought against him of suspicion. During this time period died 3 patients receiving too high doses of medication that the doctor ordered them.
The hospital stated that all staff who gave medicines to the victims, was suspended from work with patients as a precaution.
