Dr. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng, 42, has been charged with murder after three of her patients died from prescription drug overdoses. Dr. Tseng is an osteopathic physician in Rowland Heights, Calif. who reportedly wrote over 25 prescriptions per day over the last three years for addictive painkillers including Oxycontin and Vicodin, with little to no consideration for her patient’s medical histories, according to ABC station KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
According to James Acker, a professor at the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Albany, it is rare that a physician is charged with murder when a patient dies in connection with his or her treatment. He said, “Far more typically, although still unusual, is to charge a physician with criminal homicide.” For example, Michael Jackson’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for his death. Dr. Tseng was arrested on Thursday and charged with murder in the deaths of Vu Nguyen, 29, of Lake Forest, on March 2, 2009; Steven Ogle, 25, of Palm Desert, on April 9, 2009; and Joseph Rovero III, 21, an Arizona State University student from San Ramon, on December 18, 2009. Dr. Tseng is currently held on a $3 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment on March 9, where she will face some 21 other felony counts.
