French anaesthetist jailed for life after poisoning and killing patients

The prosecution accused Frederic Pechier of having ‘used medicine to kill’ astatine slightest 12 people.

A French anaesthetist has been sentenced to beingness successful situation aft a tribunal recovered him blameworthy of poisoning 30 patients during operations, sidesplitting 12.

The Doubs Assize Court delivered its verdict connected Thursday, with prosecutors describing the doc arsenic “one of the top criminals successful history”.

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Frederic Pechier, 53, was convicted of poisoning patients betwixt 2008 and 2017 portion moving successful 2 backstage clinics successful the eastbound metropolis of Besancon. The victims ranged successful property from 4 to 89.

The verdict followed 15 weeks of hearings successful a proceedings that lasted 3 months, marked by method aesculapian grounds and affectional accounts from victims’ families.

The tribunal heard that Pechier targeted patients treated by colleagues with whom helium was successful conflict, to discredit them professionally. In immoderate cases, prosecutors said, helium intervened to resuscitate patients helium had poisoned not to prevention them, but to conceal his actions.

The prosecution argued that Pechier acted to harm and “psychologically damage” healthcare workers helium saw arsenic rivals to “feed his thirst for power”.

Christine de Curraize, the prosecuting lawyer, said Pechier’s extremity successful each poisoning was to “witness the downfall of his trapped colleague, to revel successful his helplessness” earlier stepping successful to resuscitate patients and contiguous himself arsenic the “doctor everyone admired”.

Given the level for a last connection connected Monday, the past time of the trial, Pechier again denied the accusations, repeating a assertion helium maintained passim the proceedings.

“I americium not a poisoner,” helium said.

During closing arguments, the prosecution accused Pechier of having “used medicine to kill”.

Pechier’s lawyers said they mean to appeal. He has 10 days to bash truthful nether French law.