Trial against doctor for manslaughter: witness expected
The trial concerning the death of two patients against a cardiologist at Berlin's Charité hospital will continue today. According to the Berlin Regional Court, the questioning of an important witness is planned. The 56-year-old doctor is alleged to have killed a patient and a female patient (both 73) with overdoses of medication in 2021 and 2022. A 39-year-old nurse is also charged with aiding and abetting in one case.
An anonymous tip-off started the investigation. According to Charité, this was received as part of a kind of whistleblower system with trusted lawyers. Employees of the hospital who notice any inconsistencies can contact them in confidence. The expected witness is said to have provided a tip-off.
The doctor and the nurse had initially remained silent at the start of the trial. The specialist in internal medicine has been in custody since May 2023. The public prosecutor's office had assumed double murder in its indictment. However, the regional court assessed the case differently at the opening of the trial and pointed out that there was only sufficient suspicion of manslaughter in both cases, meaning that there were no recognizable signs of murder.
The trial's continuation might involve discussing the doctor's alleged use of excessive medication as a process in the context of medical practice. The expected witness might have shared information related to health concerns or potential crimes within the hospital's medicine system.
Source: www.dpa.com
