According to information from the BBC, this former anesthesiologist is accused of poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom did not survive. The youngest victim was a four-year-old child who experienced two cardiac arrests during a tonsillectomy; the oldest victim was 89 years old.
Lawyer Morgan Richard, representing several victims, emphasized in court that Pêcheur used his patients "as cannon fodder" to undermine the reputation of colleagues who were shocked by the unexplained side effects in their patients. Prosecutors argue that in this way, the defendant exerted psychological pressure on the doctors with whom he had conflicts and satisfied his thirst for power.
During the investigation, Pêcheur stated that most of the poisonings were the result of "medical errors" by his colleagues. He also claimed that in one of the clinics where he worked, there was a person who was actually poisoning patients, but it was not him.
From 2008 to 2017, Pêcheur worked in two private medical institutions where there was an increase in cases of cardiac arrest during uncomplicated surgeries. Twelve patients were unable to receive help and died.
The investigation includes the examination of more than 70 reports of "serious adverse events," which is a medical term for unexpected complications or fatalities among patients.
Four-year-old Teddy, the youngest of Pêcheur's victims, experienced two cardiac arrests in 2016 during a routine tonsillectomy.
Now, after all the legal proceedings, Pêcheur, who remained free until now, has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
