Murder Trial Defendant: No Deviations from Medically Prescribed Meds
Alleged: Medications given as per instructions provided - Prescription-Provided Medication Administration Subject: The Individual Charged
In the murder trial playing out at the Aachen Regional Court, the defendant - a nurse on the palliative ward of the Rhein-Maas Clinic - stood firm, asserting that he administered medication almost exclusively according to medical orders during his night shifts. Any additional medication necessary due to a patient's condition was followed up with a retrospective medical order, he claimed, happening in "99.5% of cases." If a medication proved ineffective, a similar drug would be used instead.
Accusations against the man allege he's responsible for murder in nine cases and attempted murders of 34 patients. He's believed to have given strong sedating medications to a total of 26 patients between late December 2023 and May 2024, sometimes in combination with painkillers and sometimes multiple times, which led to the death of nine patients.
The defendant maintained his belief that palliative patients with no hope of recovery are often given insufficient doses of sedatives or painkillers. "We nurses nudge the doctors a bit," he said, implying the possibility of raising the issue during rounds or patient handovers. He reiterated his earlier statement that he is not a euthanasia nurse and has complied with patient directives. Night shift doctors, he explained, were to be disturbed as little as possible. He wasn't always in agreement with the reanimation of patients, some of whom were over 90 years old.
The defendant also shared his struggles with mental health while working in Cologne, particularly during the COVID-19 period. He feared infection on the ward and often witnessed patients dying from COVID-19, leading to immense stress that did not decrease. "A synapse just snapped," he remarked.
Colleagues testified that the defendant's ward was always impeccably clean. Some colleagues described him as brusque and a loner. The 44-year-old speaks candidly and confidently about his clinical work, also critiquing the organization of the company. He attributes his frequent job changes to financial reasons.
The Cologne Public Prosecutor's Office has seized control of part of the investigative proceedings from the Aachen Public Prosecutor's Office. This pertains to the time period from April 2010 to January 2011 and from February 2014 to September 2020, during which the suspect worked at Cologne-Merheim Hospital. Current reviews are underway to determine the next steps with the Cologne police. The "Cologne City-Anzeiger" reported.
Criminal police in Aachen continue their investigations. Before the trial began in March, the indictment was expanded. The court plans to continue proceedings until September.
- In the midst of the murder trial, the defendant, a former nurse, has highlighted his adherence to medical orders in a vocational setting, mentioning his focus on vocational training during his career.
- The defendant has expressed concerns about the under-administered sedatives and painkillers for palliative patients, identifying an issue that he would discuss with doctors during rounds or patient handovers, emphasizing his role in advocating for patient care.
- Alongside his professional life, the defendant has also shared his personal struggles with mental health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, speaking of the immense stress and anxiety he faced during his time working in Cologne.
- The expansion of the murder trial indictment led to a collaboration between the Aachen and Cologne Public Prosecutor's Offices, with criminal police in Aachen continuing their investigations and the Cologne police assessing the next steps for the Cologne-Merheim Hospital period under review.
