Berlin doctor charged with the killings of 15 patients under palliative care
BERLIN — BERLIN (AP) — A physician in Berlin has been indicted for the alleged murder of 15 patients receiving palliative care, with prosecutors stating that he also attempted to conceal the evidence by setting fires in their residences.
Initially suspected in the deaths of four patients, the doctor, who was a member of a nursing service’s end-of-life care team, is now linked to a total of 15 deaths between September 22, 2021, and July 24, 2022.
The victims, aged between 25 and 94, mostly passed away in their own homes.
It is alleged that the doctor administered a combination of anesthetic and muscle relaxant to the patients without their consent, leading to respiratory muscle paralysis and subsequent death within minutes, according to prosecutors.
The 40-year-old doctor, whose identity remains undisclosed due to privacy regulations, has been in custody since August 6 and has not yet responded to the accusations against him, as confirmed by prosecutors.
The case has been forwarded to the Berlin state court for further deliberation on the possibility of a trial. If convicted of murder, the doctor could face life imprisonment, with prosecutors seeking additional measures to prevent his potential release after 15 years and a lifetime ban from practicing medicine.
