DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News ) – A jury found a North Texas doctor guilty of poisoning patients at Baylor Scott and White Surgicare North Dallas in 2022.
Doctor Raynaldo Ortiz was accused of injecting heart-stopping medication into patient IV bags, killing one person and causing the cardiac emergencies of eleven others.
The jury deliberated for several hours on Thursday and Friday before deciding on the guilty verdict.
Jurors head from Ortiz’ alleged victims including the husband of a fellow anesthesiologist Doctor Melanie Kaspar who took one of the IV bags home to treat herself after an illness and died.
Her husband John Kaspar gave emotional testimony about seeing his wife collapse and his attempts to use CPR to revive her as he awaited the paramedics.
One of the defense witness was Doctor Bobbie Jean Sweitzer, who presented an alternative explanation for what may have caused the patient’s medical episodes.
She testified doctors may have administered medicine to patients incorrectly in several cases and said that some of the patients in question had pre-existing conditions that could have contributed to the medical emergencies.
During closing arguments, prosecutors pointed to video evidence showing Ortiz placing IV bags into a warmer minutes before nurses removed them.
They claim his motivation was revenge after the Texas Medical Board opened a disciplinary investigation. The defense argued he’s a patsy for mistakes made by the medical center.
Ortiz pleaded not guilty to 10 charges, five counts of tampering with consumer products causing serious bodily injury and five counts of adulterating a drug.
He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
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