New trial against drug doctor started

New procedure against the so-called drug doctor started

18.04.2011

The doctor and psychotherapist from Berlin, who has become known medially as a drug doctor, has been tried again today. The procedure for the delivery of a fatal drug cocktail to several patients will be rolled up after the successful appeal against the first verdict from today before the Berlin district court.

Seven patients had treated the doctor with the dangerous drug cocktail, a 59-year-old retiree and a 28-year-old student had died as a result, the other patients suffered in some cases significant health problems such as intoxication and dysregulation. The original judgment of the Berlin district court against the confessed physician of four years and nine months in prison for assault with fatalities and dangerous bodily injury, was repealed after appropriate revision by the Federal Court. Today, the new trial started against the so-called drug doctor.

Doctor administers drug cocktail with deadly consequences
As part of a „psycholytic intensive session“ In September 2009, the physician had given seven patients a cocktail of partially illicit drugs - with catastrophic consequences. Two patients died as a result of the treatment, five others had to be treated with symptoms of poisoning and mental disorders in the hospital. The accused psychotherapist had taken the responsibility without delay, but did not agree with the first verdict of the district court of Berlin. In May 2010, the judges sentenced him to nearly five years' imprisonment for assault, death and serious bodily injury. In addition, the court had imposed a life-long professional ban. The accused physician went thereupon in revision, since the assumption imputed in the judgment of the bodily injury did not exist and in his opinion also in the opinion of judgment could not be proven.

Carried negligence to death of patients?
The Federal High Court (BGH) ruled in the treatment of the revision, that the intent of bodily injury in the judgment of the Berlin district court not „comprehensibly“ reasoned and must be examined in a new procedure, whether or not instead „negligent“ Act of the doctor. Because all patients who have taken the drug cocktail, would have this „by hand and knowingly“ done so that one „self-responsible self-harm“ was to be considered in the verdict, the BGH said in January and referred the case back to the Berlin district court. As of today, initially eight days of trial are scheduled to be passed, with due regard for negligence. The accused doctor can hope for a slightly milder judgment, even if „Negligence causes the death of a human being“ is loud § 222 Criminal Code (StGB) one „Imprisonment for up to five years“ intended. (Fp)

Picture: Gerd Altmann