By Matthew Becker
His seriously ill patients did not want to die. Despite an overdose of the anesthetic propofol. Only a further injection ultimately led to death. Around four months after his arrest, charges of double insidious murder were brought against a Charité heart doctor.
dr Günther S. (56, married, one son) presented himself as the master of life and death. This is what the public prosecutor calls it in the murder charge against the top cardiologist at the Charité University Hospital.
The scene of the crime: The Charité, Campus Virchow Klinikum, cardiological station W 47: Dr. Günther S. as a specialist since 2015. He grew up in Cuba as the son of a GDR diplomat. dr Günther S. graduated cum laude.
dr Günther S. is valued by doctors and nurses, especially for his empathetic way of dealing with the relatives of dying patients. This earned Günther S. the nickname “The Pastor”.
Lethal dose of propofol
Until November 22, 2021. On this day, Ulrich B. (73) was initially successfully resuscitated in the cardiac ward. But Dr. Günther S. is said to have suddenly instructed the sisters to fill a syringe with propofol. A quantity guaranteed to be deadly. Contrary to expectations, Ulrich B.’s heart did not stop beating. Therefore, Dr. S. another injection, which resulted in immediate death.
On July 23, 2022, the doctor is said to have killed patient Margarete G. (73) with two overdoses of propofol. At the autopsy, Margarete G. had four times the amount of a fatal overdose.
The prosecutor ruled out an accident, suspected selfish motives. In doing so, Dr. Günther S. the trust of his patients and their relatives.
Only after a nurse revealed herself to the clinic management about the cardiologist was Dr. Günther S. was suspended on August 19, 2022 and has been in custody since May 8, 2023. Charge: treacherous murder. A nurse (37) is also accused of manslaughter.
A judicial spokesman: “Further patient files are still being evaluated to determine whether the accused could be responsible for further deaths.”
If convicted, the doctor could face up to 15 years in prison and lose his license to practice medicine.