Queensland Premier denies Oz police bungle in Dr Death's case

Melbourne, May 29 : Despite allegations of a police bungle, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh today said that lawyers have provided all the necessary legal documents to extradite Dr Jayant Patel, a doctor of Indian origin who acquired the sobriquet "Dr Death" for botching several surgeries resulting in his patients deaths.

Bligh said the necessary documents had been supplied without delay and it was unlikely Patel would be released on bail.

"My advice is that it is not expected that Jayant Patel will be released on bail for any reason relating to any delay in the delivery of any documents," she said.

Earlier, the lawyer for Dr Jayant Patel sought bail for his client before next month's extradition hearing in Portland, Oregon, because of an alleged bungle by Queensland police.

Marc Blackman, Patel's US lawyer, on Thursday asked the US District Court judge Dennis Hubel to push Dr Death's June 26 extradition hearing back three weeks and for an opportunity for Patel to seek bail because of a delay by Queensland police to produce requested documents.

Blackman said a Queensland police sergeant stated in an affidavit on May 9 that he would send "legible copies" of requested documents early in the week of May' 12, news.com.au reported.

Blackman called for a status hearing to be held in Portland so he could discuss the matter with the judge and the US prosecutors representing Australian authorities in the extradition proceedings.

Patel, a US citizen accused of committing three counts of manslaughter and three counts of grievous bodily harm on patients during his employment as Director of Surgery at Queensland's Bundaberg Base Hospital, has been locked up in Portland's Multnomah County Detention Centre since his arrest in the US on March 11.

It would be another embarrassing blow for the Queensland Government and law enforcement if Patel, 58, is released on bail because of the failure of Queensland police to produce the documents.

ANI