COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former Mount Carmel nurse and several family members of patients described their experiences with Dr. William Husel inside Mount Carmel’s intensive care unit.
Those witnesses kicked off the sixth week of testimony in the ongoing murder trial for Husel, who faces 14 counts of murder, accused of killing his patients through overprescribing medications – including fentanyl and others.
His legal defense team – including attorneys Jose Baez and Diane Menashe – argue that there is no “max dose” of fentanyl and that Husel’s medication orders – while “aggressive” – were meant as comfort care to help his critically ill patients avoid suffering painful deaths.
Jurors heard from several witnesses Monday – including former nurse Derek Dreyer – who said he trusted Dr. Husel and “enjoyed working with him” and “learned a lot” from the critical care doctor.
Family members of witnesses were asked to describe how their loved ones ended up at Mount Carmel West under the care of Husel.
Among those who testified was David Austin, who said his wife Bonnie complained of troubling breathing and that they called for an ambulance.
Austin later said he was unaware of how many times his wife coded on the way to or at the hospital. He said he was under the impression that his wife was going to make it after a conversation with an emergency room physician.
Once in the intensive care unit, however, Austin testified that Husel told him that his wife was brain dead and that “the machines were the only thing keeping her alive.”
Austin later testified he told Husel his wife would not want to remain on life support. Upset by the news, Austin said he went for a walk and was not present when his wife passed.
Another family member of a patient, Jim Allen, testified that he and his family members had a conversation with Husel about his father, James Allen, and his medical conditions.
Allen testified: “We were told he would go quickly and he would not suffer. It was said: ‘how do you know?’ And (Husel’s) reply was experience, his experience told him that my dad - and his experience told us he would only live for short time and wouldn’t suffer.”
Allen later testified that he witnessed a nurse rip out his father’s breathing tube while Husel was talking to them. He said his family members “thought that was odd.”
Before testimony resumed Monday, questions were raised by the defense about if a witness last week – the family member of one of the patients – tampered with a pill bottle while during testimony last week. Husel’s legal defense said it raises questions about credibility and asked that the testimony by stricken. Judge Michael Holbrook has not yet ruled on the issue.
Separately, Judge Holbrook ruled that the new report submitted by Mount Carmel Health System cannot be entered into evidence. The new report would re-iterate what Mount Carmel Health Systems administrator testified to – which was that Husel was the only physician outside the operating room who was using 500 micrograms of fentanyl for patients not on a ventilator.
Attorney Jose Baez objected to the report prior to the judge’s ruling, noting that he would have no way to cross-examine the work of the two physicians who ran or created the new report.
Prosecutors said they plan to rest their case in chief Tuesday morning with its final witness. After that, the judge is expected to address several pending motions related to the case prior to the defense calling its first witnesses on Wednesday.
You can watch video of the most recent testimony below