Tag: william husel

Doctor Asks Court to Dismiss Murder Indictment in 25 Deaths

The Associated Press

Lawyers for the Ohio hospital doctor charged with murder in 25 patient deaths accused the prosecutor of misconduct and asked Tuesday that the court dismiss the indictment handed up by a grand jury.

Former intensive care doctor William Husel is accused of ordering excessive painkillers for patients who died shortly thereafter in the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System. Prosecutors charged him only in cases involving at least 500 micrograms of fentanyl, saying doses that big in nonsurgical situations pointed to an intent to prematurely snuff out lives.

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Trial Delayed for Accused Murderer Dr. William Husel

Samantha Witwer

  The Ohio doctor accused of ordering excessive painkiller doses for dozens of patients who died won’t face trial on murder charges until next year. Dr. William Husel was scheduled for trial in Columbus this June, but it was delayed by a ban on mass gatherings because of the coronavirus and related changes in court operations. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Holbrook rescheduled the trial to start May 10, 2021. “There’s no way we can do it this summer,” Holbrook said after the decision was made during a telephone conference with prosecuting and defense attorneys. Husel began working for Mount Carmel Health System as an anesthesiologist and ICU doctor in 2013 until he was fired in December 2018. Records say Husel administered at least 500 micrograms of the powerful painkiller fentanyl to each of his patients. Prosecutors say doses that large indicate an intent to end lives. As The Ohio Star previously reported, Its internal review concluded the 44-year-old doctor had ordered potentially fatal doses for 29 patients who died over several years, including five who it said might have received the drugs when there still was a chance of improving their conditions with treatment The 44-year-old  pleaded…

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Ohio Doctor Accused of Murdering 25 People Sues His Former Employer For Defamation

Zachery Schmidt

  Accused murderer Dr. William Husel, who is alleged to have killed 25 people by fatal drug overdose, has sued his former employer for defamation. However, in a lawsuit filed last week, Husel denies the charge, claiming he followed Mount Carmel West’s end-of-life protocols, and that the hospital breached his contract and defamed him. “It would not be an exaggeration to state that Dr. Husel has suffered perhaps the most egregious case of defamation in Ohio’s recent history,” the lawsuit says according to the Associated Press. Husel claims the patients he is accused of murdering died from their illnesses and not fentanyl. The former doctor is seeking $50,000 in damages. He is suing Mount Carmel Health System (MCHS) and its parent organization, Trinity Health Corp. Mount Carmel released a statement to ABC 6 after Husel and his lawyers filed their lawsuit. “Allegations such as these are unfounded. We completed an extensive review of patient care provided by Dr. William Husel and stand by our decisions. Mount Carmel’s focus continues to be on caring for our patients.” After being fired in January by Mount Carmel, the State Medical Board of Ohio suspended Husel’s license to practice, according to the AP.  A…

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CEO Resigns, 23 Fired Amid Ohio Doctor’s Alleged Fentanyl Murders

Anthony Gockowski

  Mount Carmel Health System CEO Ed Lamb announced Thursday that he’s terminated the employment of 23 individuals and will resign at the end of the month after a former doctor was charged with 25 counts of murder. “This was a difficult decision, but one that is in the best interest of our organization, our colleagues and the people we serve,” Lamb said in a press release. He also revealed that the employment of “23 colleagues, including 5 physician, nursing and pharmacy management team members” was terminated effective immediately. As The Ohio Star previously reported, Dr. William Husel was charged June 6 with 25 counts of murder for ordering “excessive and potentially fatal doses” of fentanyl for former patients. It’s reportedly one of the largest murder cases ever brought against a medical provider in America, and the largest Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien has seen in his 45-year career in the area. O’Brien said that each count in the indictment alleges that Husel “purposely caused the death” of all 25 patients. The indictment goes on to accuse Husel of ordering fentanyl doses ranging from 500 to 2000 micrograms and administering them to patients, which “shortened their life and hastened or…

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Ohio Doctor Charged With 25 Counts of Murder for Ordering ‘Potentially Fatal Doses’ of Fentanyl

Anthony Gockowski

  William Husel, a former Ohio doctor who was fired and placed under investigation for ordering “excessive and potentially fatal doses” of fentanyl, was charged Wednesday with 25 counts of murder. According to WCMH, it’s one of the biggest murder cases ever brought against a medical provider in America. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the indictment, which was filed by the Franklin County Grand Jury in connection with treatment administered by Husel at Mount Carmel and St. Ann’s Hospitals in Columbus. O’Brien said in a statement that each count in the indictment alleges that Husel “purposely caused the death” of all 25 patients. The indictment accuses Husel of ordering fentanyl doses ranging from 500 to 2000 micrograms and administering them to patients, which “shortened their life and hastened or caused their death.” As The Ohio Star previously reported, Husel was in some cases prescribing 50 times the recommended dose. According to a timeline of the investigation provided by the Mount Carmel Health System, the hospital began its investigation in October 2018 after receiving a report related to Husel’s care and terminated his employment by December 2018 after discovering that he ordered “excessive and potentially fatal doses for at least…

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As Many as 34 Deaths in Ohio Now Attributed to Doctor Husel’s Lethal Opioid Dosing

Andrew Shirley

Thursday, the Mount Carmel Hospital released a shocking report that revealed the crimes of Doctor William Husel were far more extensive and well known than previously noted. As first reported on January 18th, the Mount Carmel Hospital confirmed that Dr. Husel was being investigated for malpractice. The young doctor had allegedly prescribed dangerous – and in some cases fatal – doses of fentanyl to at least 27 patients. All the victims were in a “near death” state when the doses were administered. In some cases, the doctor was prescribing 50 times the recommended dose. No motive had yet been established and the doctor was suspended from service until the investigation is complete. Thursday’s report revealed that a “formal report” about the questionable methods of Dr. Husel was first filed on October 25th, 2018. However, he was not removed from providing patient care until November 21st, almost a month later. During this time, three of his victims were administered the lethal doses and all three died shortly after. The hospital conceded that “we should have begun a more expedited process to investigate and consider immediate removal of Dr. Husel from patient care.” There is no clear answer as to why the waited so long to remove the doctor…

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