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'Doctor Death' appeals Australia jailing
An Indian-born surgeon jailed over the deaths of three Australian patients and grievous injury of another lodged an appeal on Thursday against his conviction and sentence.
An Indian-born surgeon jailed over the deaths of three Australian patients and grievous injury of another lodged an appeal on Thursday against his conviction and sentence.
Jayant Patel, dubbed "Doctor Death" over a series of fatally bungled operations in northern Queensland, was jailed for seven years earlier this month after a Supreme Court jury found him guilty of criminal negligence.
Patel, 60, was convicted of three counts of manslaughter and one of grievous bodily harm after three of his patients died and a fourth was permanently injured in needless and botched surgeries.
His lawyers lodged an appeal against his conviction and the sentence, of which he must serve only three-and-a-half years before becoming eligible for parole.
During Patel's trial the defence argued for a suspended sentence, saying he had been publicly vilified and was a virtual prisoner in his own home since his extradition to Australia from the US.
Judge John Byrne denounced Patel's "repeated serious disregard" for his patients, and the fact he had deliberately failed to disclose an earlier finding of gross negligence in the United States.
