Dr Death's extradition delayed by three weeks

Melbourne, Jun 3: Dr Jayant Patel, a doctor of Indian origin who acquired the sobriquet "Dr Death" for botching several surgeries resulting in his patients deaths, has successfully delayed his extradition hearing in the US by three weeks. US District Court Judge Dennis Hubel granted the delay. Judge Hubel ordered that Dr Patel's extradition hearing would take place in Portland on July 16, news.com.au reported.

The hearing was originally scheduled for June 26. There was no mention during today's hearing -held via a teleconference- of Dr Patel making a fresh bid for bail ahead of the July 16 extradition proceedings. Last week, Dr Patel's American lawyer Marc Blackman, complained that Queensland police had failed to produce requested documents.

Meanwhile, former Bundaberg patients of Dr Patel have said they are frustrated because his extradition from the US has been delayed for three weeks. Bundaberg Hospital Patients Support Group convenor Beryl Crosby said the delay meant more weeks of frustration for patients wanting to see Patel brought to justice.

"We are disappointed, but what's important is bail was not a consideration," The Australian quoted Crosby, as saying.

"At the end of the day we want to see justice and I guess this is part of the process. He is entitled to what his lawyer is doing for him," she added.

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.

ANI