In 2017, Christopher Duntsch, a Texas-based neurosurgeon, was convicted of maiming and killing many of his patients between 2011 and 2013. He was held guilty of harming over 33 out of the 37 patients and was responsible for the death of at least 2 of whom he treated in those two years. Duntsch was named ‘Dr. Death’ owing to his malpractice. Following his conviction, he received a lifetime in prison sentence.
Duntsch is currently housed at the O. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. He continues to serve his sentence of life imprisonment until he will be eligible for a parole hearing in 2045. Christopher Duntsch will be 74 by that time. Considering the gravity of the crimes committed by Duntsch, the report of malpractice not only led to his medical license getting canceled but also stirred up widespread outrage and a demand for a heavy sentence.
Christopher Duntsch graduated from the Memphis State University and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Although most neurosurgeons participate in over 1000 surgeries throughout their residency, Duntsch allegedly took part in less than 100 surgeries. He was also reportedly under the influence of cocaine during most of the procedures he participated in. Reports from his peers suggest that he wasn’t a reliable surgeon or a doctor in general.
Although the University was aware of the substance abuse allegations, Duntsch managed to dodge the necessary tests that the authorities required him to take. He allegedly did everything in his power to avoid losing his license based on negligence or even for lack of qualification. The negligence to work on complaints from patients, however, was a consistent behavior of Duntsch.
Christopher Duntsch: What was the former Texas-based neurosurgeon accused of?
After treatment from Christopher Duntsch, most, if not all, patients woke up worse than they went in. Some patients were even paralyzed following his procedures, while others would come out with severe fatigue and pain. Duntsch’s reputation as a doctor was gone long before his conviction.
Mary Efurd, Kenneth Fennel, and Lee Passmore, three of Duntsch’s former patients finally filed federal lawsuits against Baylor Plano, a hospital that hired Christopher Duntsch despite being aware of his malpractice and ineligibility to carry out medical procedures. The investigation revealed a high number of patients complaining of worsened conditions after treatment.
Repeated complaints and formal urges to authorities followed. However, it became a challenge to prove that Duntsch’s actions were conscious and willful. His medical license was revoked in 2013, and it wasn’t until 2015 that he was formally arrested for 6 felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 1 count of injury to an elderly person, and 5 counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.
It was the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd that maximized the gravity of the case against Christopher Duntsch. He was specially tried for this charge and was held guilty of intentionally harming the patient. The court held that the previous complaints from patients and charges against the hospitals he was working at should have been paid heed to, and the lack of which amounts to intentionally harming patients.
Dr Death Season 1 is a Peacock drama series that follows Christopher Duntsch’s journey. He sets out as a surgeon despite his ability to harm patients. Although the show is a fictional drama, it is heavily based on the case of Christopher Duntsch. The first season released in 2021 and opened to a very positive critical response. The second season premiered on December 21, 2023.
