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Prosecutors Begin Closing Case in Péchier Poisoning Trial

Prosecutors deliver two days of requisitions to persuade jurors of culpability in alleged infusion‑bag poisonings.

Overview

  • After three months of testimony, the prosecution in Besançon opened its two‑day summation, portraying Frédéric Péchier as an “assassin in a white coat.”
  • The former anesthetist is on trial for 30 alleged poisonings at two private clinics, a case tried before six jurors and three professional judges.
  • Prosecutors say infusion bags were deliberately contaminated with agents including potassium, local anesthetics, adrenaline and heparin to trigger cardiac arrests.
  • Péchier maintains his innocence, acknowledges that a poisoner operated at the clinics, and continues to argue there is no direct proof against him as prosecutors say they do not expect a confession.
  • A former patient who helped launch the investigation recounted a 2017 arrest linked to a perfusion with potassium at 100 times normal levels and said she hopes for the maximum sentence, with a verdict expected by December 19.