COLUMBUS, Ohio — A court has declined to pause proceedings in wrongful-death lawsuits against a doctor charged with 25 counts of murder and the Ohio hospital system where he worked.
William Husel (HYOO’-suhl) is accused of ordering excessive painkiller doses for dozens of patients in the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System.
Lawyers representing Mount Carmel and the fired doctor argued that proceedings in 10 related lawsuits should be halted because of the ongoing criminal case. A Franklin County magistrate rejected that request Wednesday but agreed to block the plaintiffs’ lawyers from pursuing a sworn statement from Husel for now.
Husel has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer says Husel was providing comfort care to dying patients, not trying to kill them.
Mount Carmel already settled some other lawsuits for a total of nearly $4.5 million .
Kantele Franko, The Associated Press
