by & nbspoman al yahyai & nbspwith & nbspAP
It’s published
The 40-year-old German doctor was brought to trial in Berlin on Monday when he was accused of killing 15 palliative care patients under his supervision.
The prosecutors claimed a doctor identified solely as Johannes M. in accordance with German privacy laws and acted with “planned malicious intentions and other basic motives.”
Previously, the accused, employed in a private end-of-life care service, was reportedly administered a fatal combination of anesthetics and muscle relaxants to patients between September 2021 and July 2024.
Most of the victims, ages 25 to 94, died at home. Prosecutors argue that the drug paralyzes the respiratory muscles, leading to choking and death within minutes.
The case is particularly serious, with the prosecutor seeking a “particularly serious” conviction, excluding parole after a normal 15-year term under German law. They also call for lifelong medical bans and preventive detention.
The indictment further alleges that he tried to burn parts of the victim’s home to destroy evidence. He has been in custody since August 6, 2024.
All of the patients listed in the prosecution were severely ill, but their deaths were not considered imminent.
So far, the defendant has refused to speak to psychiatrist specialists and his lawyers have confirmed that he will not be present in court for now. Experts are tasked with observing the defendant’s conduct and witness testimony, instead of formal interviews.
Among the most troublesome cases presented in court was the case of a 56-year-old woman in September.
Prosecutors alleged that the doctor administered the lethal drug without medical need, and later called emergency services, falsely claiming that she was found to not respond.
She was resuscitated and taken to hospital, but later died after her family agreed to withdraw her life support.
A fundamental investigation is still underway. Authorities are considering nearly 400 deaths related to the doctor’s past incident. So far, 95 people have triggered a preliminary investigation and 75 have remained open. Five excavations are planned as part of this expansion probe.
The doctor’s own stepmother, who died during a visit while fighting cancer, is still among those under review.
The deceased’s 13 relatives have joined the case as joint plaintz, and the court is scheduled for a 35-day hearing date, which will extend in January 2026.
The case reflects the case of a German nurse convicted of killing 87 patients in 2019. In another case this month, prosecutors in Itesehoe, in northern Germany, have launched an investigation into another doctor suspected of multiple patient deaths.
