Palliative care doctor Johannes M. was sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly killing 15 terminally ill patients with "lethal drug cocktails." The prosecution is conducting new investigations into 76 suspicious deaths linked to the doctor.

Johannes M., a 41-year-old doctor working at a palliative care center in Germany's capital, Berlin, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Berlin State Court for allegedly killing 15 of his patients.

The court ruled that the crimes committed were of "particularly serious nature" and also decided to permanently ban the defendant from practicing his profession. The doctor, who has been in custody since August 2024, confessed to 12 murders during the trial.

Murders with Lethal Drug Cocktails

According to information from the German News Agency, Johannes M. targeted severely ill patients, aged between 25 and 94, during home visits between 2021 and 2024.

Court records show that the doctor ended the lives of a total of 15 people, 12 of whom were women, by injecting them with a lethal cocktail of various drugs. It was stated that all of the victims were struggling with serious health problems.

Confession and Apology in Court

During the trial, the defendant admitted to a significant portion of the charges. Johannes M., who confessed to killing 12 people during the hearing, apologized to the relatives of the deceased patients.

However, the court panel decided that the confession and apology were not sufficient to mitigate the sentence and imposed the harshest penalty.

New Cases May Be Opened for 76 Suspicious Deaths

The Berlin prosecutor's office announced that a comprehensive investigation is underway into 76 suspicious death cases believed to be linked to Johannes M.

It is stated that new lawsuits may be filed against the doctor within the year after the investigation files are completed. The incident, which caused a great stir in German public opinion, has brought the oversight mechanisms for palliative care services and patient safety back into focus in the country.