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2h ago

Trial Opens for Anesthetist Frédéric Péchier in 30 Suspected Poisonings, 12 Fatalities

The case turns on circumstantial forensic findings that prosecutors say reveal deliberate potassium tampering.

L’ex-anesthésiste Frédéric Péchier (à gauche) accompagné de son avocat Me Randall Schwerdorffer, à Besançon (Doubs) en mars 2023.
L’ancien anesthésiste Frédéric Péchier avait, à l’époque des faits, une personnalité plutôt clivante. Ici, le 28 novembre 2023, à Besançon.
La cour d'assises de Besançon, le 7 septembre 2025
Le docteur Frédéric Péchier arrive au tribunal de Besançon accompagné de son avocat maître Randall Schwerdorffer, le 22 mars 2023.

Overview

  • Hearings begin Monday in Besançon for a four-month session, with a verdict expected on December 19.
  • Péchier, 53, is accused of contaminating IV bags between 2008 and 2017 at two private clinics, causing intraoperative cardiac arrests and 12 deaths.
  • Investigators retained 30 cases from more than 70 serious incidents after noting his repeated presence near the emergencies, including a 2017 arrest where potassium was found in an infusion bag.
  • The former anesthesiologist appears free under judicial supervision, maintains his innocence, and faces a potential life sentence if convicted.
  • More than 150 civil parties are represented, and the court will first examine the most recent files, including the 2017 cases that triggered the inquiry.