German palliative doctor charged with 15 counts of murder

BERLIN (Reuters) -Prosecutors in Berlin on Wednesday charged a doctor suspected of administering lethal amounts of various medications to palliative patients under his care with 15 counts of murder.

Prosecutors are also seeking a lifelong professional ban for the 40-year-old suspect, detained since August 2024, who had been active in several German states.

The suspect, not officially named in line with German privacy laws, has not admitted to the charges, said prosecutors.

He was initially suspected of being involved in four deaths last year, which prosecutors said he had tried to cover up by setting fire to the victims' apartments.

However, ongoing investigations have turned up more suspected deaths, dating back to 2021, and that number could rise even further.

An investigative team set up specifically for the case is evaluating his patient records and more exhumations are planned.

The doctor is accused of administering an anaesthetic and then a muscle relaxant to palliative patients under his care who were not actively dying and without their knowledge or consent, said prosecutors.

(Reporting by Miranda MurrayEditing by Madeline Chambers)