Day 2 of jury deliberations in Husel murder trial concludes with no verdict
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The second day of jury deliberations in the murder trial of former Mount Carmel Dr. William Husel has come and gone with no verdict.
Husel, 46, is facing 14 counts of murder for allegedly prescribing fatal doses of fentanyl and other drugs to critically ill patients under his care at Mount Carmel West from 2015 to 2018.
Jurors, who began deliberating at 10 a.m. Tuesday, had two questions for Franklin County Court of Commons Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook on Wednesday -- both of which dealt with an exhibit introduced during the trial that featured a list of Husel's former patients who were not included in the 14 counts of murder.
Although jurors asked to view the exhibit, both the defense and prosecution denied their requests, citing that the exhibit was never introduced as evidence and only used for demonstrative purposes.
The former ICU physician faces life in prison if convicted of any of the 14 murder counts by jurors.
If, however, the jury finds Husel not guilty of any of the counts, jurors are instructed to consider the lesser included offense of attempted murder.
In a trial that will reach its two-month mark on Thursday, the jury heard from 54 witnesses, 53 of whom were called by the prosecution.
The team of Franklin County prosecutors, Janet Grubb, David Zeyen, Paula Sawyers, Taylor Mick, and Corinne Buker, called upon 53 witnesses that ranged from Mount Carmel executives, nurses and pharmacists to victims' family members, a Columbus Division of Police detective and expert doctors.
Husel's defense team, comprised of Columbus attorney Diane Menashe and Florida-based attorneys Jose Baez and Jamie Lapidus, called one expert witness to the stand: Dr. Joel Zivot, a physician from Emory University.
While prosecutors allege that Husel provided excessive painkiller doses to hasten patients' deaths, Husel's defense attorneys contend that the physician was providing comfort care to dying patients.
Timeline of case
- 2015-2018: Patients in Husel's care die allegedly from an excess amount of painkillers he prescribed
- December 5, 2018: Mount Carmel fires Husel; notifies Franklin County Prosecutor & State Medical Board of Ohio of his actions
- January 14, 2019: Allegations against Husel become public as Mount Carmel reveals the deaths of dozens of patients who received potentially fatal doses of pain medication
- January 25, 2019: State Medical Board of Ohio suspends Husel's medical license
- June 5, 2019: Husel turns himself in to police, charged with 25 counts of murder
- June 7, 2019: Husel posts bond, released from jail
- July 11, 2019: Mount Carmel CEO resigns; 23 Mount Carmel employees fired in connection to Husel case
- August 7, 2019: Husel hires Jose Baez as defense attorney
- December 26, 2019: Husel files defamation lawsuit against Mount Carmel Health
- January 20, 2022: 11 of the 25 murder charges against Husel dropped
- February 14, 2022: Jury selection begins
- February 16, 2022: 12 jurors and six alternates selected
- February 22, 2022: Prosecution and defense give opening statements; prosecution begins nearly six-week process of calling witnesses
- March 29, 2022: Prosecution rests case after calling 53 witnesses
- March 30, 2022: Defense calls first and only witness
- March 31, 2022: Defense rests case
- April 11, 2022: Prosecution and defense give closing arguments
- April 12, 2022: Jury begins deliberations