A former French anaesthetist has stood trial accused of fatally poisoning a dozen patients in a shocking bid to show off his resuscitation skills. Frédéric Péchier, who worked at two clinics in the city of Besançon, faces life imprisonment over allegations he deliberately contaminated intravenous bags, leading to cardiac arrests and deaths.
The Shocking Allegations in Court
Prosecutors Thérèse Brunisso and Christine de Curraize told the Doubs Assize Court that between 2008 and 2017, Dr Péchier introduced substances like potassium, local anaesthetics, adrenaline, or heparin into IV bags. These bags were then administered to patients, allegedly triggering fatal medical crises.
The court heard that Péchier was the 'common denominator' in all the cases. Prosecutors have portrayed him as a 'serial killer' who 'transformed a clinic into a cemetery' and is 'one of the greatest criminals in history'. They are seeking a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years.
A Trail of Tragedy and a Fierce Denial
The investigation began in 2017 after a 36-year-old healthy woman suffered a cardiac arrest during spinal surgery. Tests revealed potassium levels 100 times higher than the expected dose in her IV medication.
This incident prompted a review of past events, dating back to 2008, involving patients aged from 4 to 89 years old. The first fatality was 53-year-old Damien Iehlen in October 2008, who died during a routine kidney operation. A lethal dose of lidocaine was found post-mortem.
Throughout the three-month trial, Péchier has vehemently denied all charges. 'I will say it and always will say it: no, I am not a poisoner,' he told the court. 'For eight years, I have been fighting against being portrayed as a poisoner.'
The Defence and the Awaiting Verdict
Péchier's defence lawyer, Randall Schwerdorffer, has urged the jury to focus on evidence rather than emotion in what he called 'the trial of a lifetime'. 'The question is not: 'Do we like Frédéric Péchier, does he cry or does he not cry?'' he said. 'We need evidence... we are here to judge them.'
The court has heard extensive police investigations, medical reports, and moving testimonies from victims' families. The jury is now deliberating, with a verdict expected by Friday.
