Dallas doctor IV bag tampering trial: Expert testimony suggests pattern of emergencies among patients
DALLAS - The prosecution rested on day six of Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz’s IV bag tampering trial, and the defense began to lay out their case.
Before that, an expert testified on Monday that there was a pattern to the life-threatening emergencies four patients experienced at the Baylor Scott & White Surgicare in North Dallas.
A prosecution expert worked to tie the pieces together that patients Tammy Young, Kelly Pifer, John Eller and Jack Adlerstein all experienced the same reactions after receiving IV bags during what should have been simple procedures.
First, their blood pressure skyrocketed; then, it tanked. They had cardiac dysfunction and foaming at the mouth caused by fluid in the lungs.
Dr. Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., is accused of killing a colleague and sickening 11 patients by injecting poison into their IV bags. He is shown in a screenshot from surveillance footage opening the warming fridge where the IV bags are stored. (U.S. St
The expert testified that Adlerstein, the youngest of the patients at 18 years old, was "drowning in his own fluid" and became "pulseless."
Former U.S. attorney Paul Coggins, now a white-collar crimes attorney, said showing a pattern is important to the government's case.
"Just as the government is trying to show it all fits in a pattern explicable by an IV bag, the defense is trying to show there is no pattern. They are all reacting differently to different stimuli," he said.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Elizabeth Kerner also took the stand for the prosecution. She was the plastic surgeon for two of the four patients. But during her testimony, she could not remember key details about the surgeries, including that Kelly Pifer had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance.
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Why Dallas doctor accused of tampering with IV bags was allowed to practice while under investigation
Dallas anesthesiologist Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. was under investigation well before his arrest in connection with 11 patient emergencies and a doctor's death at the Baylor Scott & White North Dallas Surgicare Center.
Pifer's anesthesiologist testified to those details separately, saying he went with her and saw a nurse at the ER give her a new IV bag, and that is when Pifer's condition improved.
Dr. Kerner testified "I don't know," or "I don't recall," at least six times to the government's questions. She also stated, "I've totally gone blank," and added, "I'm fairly nervous."
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Kerner testifies for the prosecution
"Both sides prepare their witnesses. The government prepares a witness. Sometimes, those witnesses misfire," Coggins said. "It is generally not fatal if the government has documents they can use to refresh someone's memory."
After the prosecution rested, the defense called three witnesses. Two of them were from the Dallas Police Department who talked about the examination and fingerprinting of the IV bags that were allegedly tampered with.
The final witness was Jo Skabo, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, also known as a CRNA.
Skabo says she worked with Ortiz for more than a decade assisting in hundreds of surgeries with him.
Hospital surveillance video was shown in court showing Ortiz handling IV bags. The object that looks like a fridge is a warmer for the bags.
Ortiz's attorney asked Skabo if it was common for an anesthesiologist to remove IV bags from the surgery room. The witness said no, it’s not common. She did say it was a common practice for Ortiz.
Skabo said Ortiz would also help clean up operation rooms, something that also was an uncommon practice for anesthesiologists. The witness said her testimony was as a witness and friend of Ortiz.
During cross-examination, the prosecution asked if Skabo would be concerned to hear a bag Ortiz handled was linked to a patient being hurt. The witness said yes.
Asked what her reaction would be to hearing three bags connected to Ortiz resulted in patients being hurt, Skabo said she would be "very concerned" and would want an investigation.
The defense is expected to call as many as five witnesses on Wednesday.
It’s still unclear if Ortiz will testify in his own defense.
Closing arguments are likely to happen on Thursday.
TRIAL COVERAGE:
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