After a judge stepped in for a jury on the grounds that the evidence offered by the defendants was undeniable, a former Ohio doctor who was fired before being found not guilty on murder charges in the deaths of 14 patients lost a defamation lawsuit against his former employers on Monday on the grounds that the evidence presented by the defendants was incontrovertible.
A directed verdict was handed down by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh against former physician William Husel. Husel’s attorneys had accused Trinity Health, which is based in Michigan, and Mount Carmel Health System, which is located in Columbus, of coordinating a campaign to damage his image.
More than eighteen million dollars was what Husel was looking for from the health care firms.
According to a statement released by his attorney, Adam Ford, Husel’s legal team expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that McIntosh would delay the jury from reaching a verdict in the case after several weeks of evidence and testimony had been presented. According to him, the decision to issue the directed verdict, which is a procedural maneuver that was requested by the hospital, “effectively silences the voices of those who came out seeking justice.”
According to what he had to say, “This is not the outcome that any reasonable person expected, nor is it one that reflects the strength of the evidence that was that was presented.” All of our legal options, including appealing, are currently being considered. Throughout its entirety, this case has always involved more than one courtroom or a single verdict. The truth, accountability, and the right of every individual to defend their name against false and devastating claims are all at the center of this issue.
In a statement that was given by Mount Carmel, the spokesperson simply stated, “We are pleased with the judge’s decision.”
In 2018, the Mount Carmel Health System terminated the physician after it was determined that he had prescribed excessive amounts of medicines to around thirty-two patients who had passed away over the course of several years.
It was one of the largest cases of its sort ever brought against a health care practitioner in the United States, and he was first charged with murder in 25 fatalities throughout the course of the investigation. A total of eleven counts were dropped prior to the trial.
Husel, who is now 49 years old, insisted that he was not seeking to hasten the passing of his patients but rather to assist them in coping with the suffering they were experiencing, even in the final moments of their lives. In spite of the fact that he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder in 2022, he gave up his medical license permanently.
He accused Trinity Health and Mount Carmel of filing various cases against him, accusing them of defamation and malicious prosecution. He filed these claims against his former employer.
As part of the defamation action that was filed in 2019, the attorneys for Husel stated that Trinity Health had propagated lies and misleading information on multiple occasions in order to persuade the general public and law enforcement that Husel was a murderer, despite the fact that officials from the health system were aware that this was not the case.
According to the lawsuit, “Clearly, these false allegations were responsible for the destruction of Dr. Husel’s life.” The reason Husel renounced his medical license was because, according to his attorneys, he was aware that the harm to his reputation would make it impossible for him to continue practicing as a physician.
Husel stated in court filings that he had been unable to find job and that he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. All of these statements were made two years ago.
Despite the fact that Trinity Health had requested that the lawsuit be dismissed, a judge in Franklin County decided that there was sufficient grounds to proceed with the case.
In situations that involved the use of at least 500 milligrams of the potent painkiller fentanyl, Husel, who worked in the intensive care unit, was charged with the offenses. Prosecutors stated that the prescribing of such quantities for situations that did not include surgery suggested a purpose to end life.
In spite of the fact that his coworkers who were responsible for the administration of medications at Mount Carmel West Hospital in Columbus were not charged with any criminal offenses, the hospital has stated that it terminated 23 nurses, pharmacists, and managers as a result of its internal investigation and has referred a number of employees to their respective state boards for disciplinary action.
It was possible for the hospital to negotiate settlements in a number of situations that involved relatives of patients who had passed away.
