By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA
The Associated Press
WARSAW, Poland — A court Friday convicted two doctors and two ambulance workers of participating in a scheme in which 14 patients were allowed to die - or in some cases killed with muscle relaxants - in return for kickbacks from funeral homes. All received prison sentences, ranging from five years to life.
Under the scheme, funeral homes in the central city of Lodz paid the ambulance service employees bribes in exchange for early tip-offs about deaths, so the homes could snap up clients.
A court in Lodz ruled that the defendants went a step further and killed patients or intentionally failed to save their lives in 2000 and 2001 to get a total of some $23,000 from the undertakers.
A 38-year-old ambulance crew member, identified only as Andrzej N., was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of killing four patients with injections of a muscle relaxant and contributing to the death of a fifth.
Another ambulance worker, identified only as Karol B., 40, under Poland’s privacy law, was given a 25-year term after the court found him guilty of causing the death of one patient and contributing to the deaths of four others.
Two doctors, identified only as Janusz K., 51, and Pawel W., 35, were given prison terms of six and five years, respectively, for intentionally failing to save the lives of a total of 14 patients.
``Evidence gathered in the case leaves no doubt that the defendants participated in the scheme,’' Judge Jaroslaw Papis said, calling it ``uncontrolled insanity.’'
The verdict is subject to appeal.
The court heard dozens of witnesses in the case that shocked the nation when the investigation opened in 2002 following media reports.
State officials have blamed the scandal on low pay for government-employed medical workers and a lack of laws regulating competition among funeral homes.