Dr. Death to face trial for manslaughter on 14 charges

Melbourne, Apr 20 (ANI): Controversial Indian-born surgeon, Dr. Jayant Patel a.k.a 'Dr. Death', who is currently facing a committal hearing into allegations of manslaughter over the deaths of three patients, will stand trial on 14 charges involving the death of three people.

Former Bundaberg Base Hospital surgeon Patel will also face trial on charges of causing serious injury to two others and fraud in getting his job in Queensland.

Michael Woodward, counsel for Patel, consented to the charges being committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a yet to be determined date.

The Crown is expected to present an indictment charging Patel with the offences in the Supreme Court on Friday. Patel's committal resumed today for cross-examination of a witness, The Courier Mail reports.

It was then expected that Crown Prosecutors and Patel's lawyers would make written and oral submissions before Deputy Chief Magistrate Brian Hine would make a decision.

However, at the end of cross-examination Woodward said he had instructions to consent to the charges being committed up to the Supreme Court.

Judge Hine said he still had to decide whether there was enough evidence to commit Patel on all charges.

After reading the charges to Patel he then determined the matters should go trial.

When asked if he had anything to say, Patel replied: "No thank you, sir." Patel did not enter a formal plea.

Patel, 59, worked at the hospital between 2003 and 2005, faced charges, of the manslaughter of James Phillips, Mervyn Morris and Gerardus Kemps. (ANI)