Berlin court sentences doctor to life for 15 murders

A Berlin court sentenced a 41-year-old palliative care doctor to life in prison on Wednesday for murdering 15 of his patients, in a case prosecutors described as one of Germany's most extraordinary serial killings. The doctor, identified only as Johannes M. in accordance with privacy laws, was convicted of killing 12 women and three men during home visits between September 2021 and July 2024.

Presiding Judge Sylvia Busch described the case as "unfathomable" and ruled that the doctor's guilt was of particular severity, a designation that makes early release highly unlikely. The court also imposed a lifetime ban on him practicing medicine. The verdict followed a trial that began nearly a year ago.

Prosecutors said the doctor administered a lethal combination of an anesthetic and a muscle relaxant to his critically ill patients without their knowledge or consent. The cocktail paralyzed their respiratory muscles, leading to death within minutes. The victims, who were all under his medical care, ranged in age from 25 to 94.

Authorities believe the 15 convictions represent only a fraction of his crimes. During the proceedings, prosecutors stated they suspect him of killing more than 70...