CA Doctor Ordered to Stand Trial for Prescription Drug Overdose Deaths

By Join Together Staff | June 27, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related, Legal & Prescription Drugs

A physician accused of prescribing drugs to three young men who died of overdoses was ordered to stand trial for second-degree murder, the Associated Press reports.

Dr. Hsui-Ying “Lisa” Tseng is one of only a few physicians nationwide to be charged with murder related to prescription drugs, the article notes.

The decision to order Tseng to stand trial came after a three-week preliminary hearing. Young men testified they saw Tseng after using up prescriptions written by other doctors. While there was testimony about 12 of her patients who died of drug overdoses, prosecutors charged her with three of the deaths, which they said were caused solely by her prescriptions.

Some patients who testified said they used illegal drugs, such as heroin, that they did not obtain from Tseng. She was accused of prescribing drugs including oxycodone, methadone, Xanax and Soma, according to the AP.

Tseng and her husband operated a storefront medical clinic in suburban Los Angeles. Authorities allege she wrote more than 27,000 prescriptions in a three-year period. Tseng pleaded not guilty to 24 felony counts. She could face 45 years to life in prison if she is convicted on all charges. Her bail was set at $3 million. The judge denied a defense request to have bail lowered to $1 million.