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Air Force Nurse Charged in 3 Deaths

'Soldier of mercy' allegedly gave lethal doses to terminally ill

By the Associated Press

Posted Mar 17, 2009 4:15 PM CDT

(AP) – An Air Force nurse has been charged with giving lethal amounts of medication to three terminally ill patients in his care. Capt. Michael Fontana, 35, was formally charged in military court with deliberately giving three patients at Wilford Hall Medical Center—the Air Force's largest hospital—lethal amounts of medication, and with conduct unbecoming an officer for allegedly changing a medical document.

The Air Force began investigating after another staff member at the San Antonio hospital discovered irregularities in Fontana's administration of drugs that may have killed a patient. The investigation revealed that two other patients in Fontana's care also may have received lethal doses. Fontana was removed from duty as soon as the irregularity was reported.

An Air Force nurse faces charges in the death of three patients.
An Air Force nurse faces charges in the death of three patients.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor takes off at Kadena airbase in Okinawa islands, southwestern Japan, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009.
U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor takes off at Kadena airbase in Okinawa islands, southwestern Japan, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009.   (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)
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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
riffran
Mar 17, 2009 9:39 AM CDT
oh my.........you hear about this kinda thing all too frequently in my line of work...The urge to stop suffering, and help the sick, and maybe even throw a little "god" complex in there....and you get this shit......remember Janine Jones and her little thing with being the hero?

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