A French anesthesiologist known as “Doctor Death” has been sentenced to life in prison today for using poison to kill 12 patients in a bid to satisfy his thirst for power. The verdict was delivered by judges at the Doubs Assizes in Doubs, near the France-Switzerland border, where Frederic Pechier, 53, was described by prosecutors as a poisoner and murderer for harming at least 30 individuals under his care.
Pechier, a married father, committed the crimes between 2008 and 2017 at two private clinics in Besancon by tampering with intravenous bags containing substances like potassium, local anesthetics, adrenaline, and heparin to trigger cardiac arrest or hemorrhaging in patients. Prosecutors revealed that Pechier’s motive was to cause psychological harm to his colleagues with whom he had conflicts and to assert his dominance.
Despite initially denying any wrongdoing, Pechier later confessed to the poisoning but maintained his innocence as the actual killer. During his trial, which spanned nearly four months, Pechier testified from the dock and expressed intentions to appeal the verdict through his defense barrister. Following the judgment, Pechier was immediately taken into custody after being out on bail since the launch of the professional conduct investigation in 2017.
The case drew comparisons to the notorious British serial killer Harold Shipman, who was convicted in 2000 for murdering 15 patients through lethal doses of medication. Shipman, also known as ‘Doctor Death,’ targeted elderly victims over three decades, resulting in an estimated 250 deaths. He was sentenced to life in prison and later took his own life in 2004 while incarcerated in Wakefield prison, West Yorkshire.
Pechier’s trial featured technical proceedings and emotional testimonies from survivors, including the defendant’s own account of a suicide attempt in 2021, reflecting on the impact of his actions on his family. The court proceedings culminated in Pechier’s sentencing to life imprisonment for multiple murders, with the defendant vowing to continue fighting his conviction.
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