PAUL GRAY’S DOCTOR CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

In 2010, Slipknot bassist Paul Gray died from an accidental overdose of not one but two very, very powerful prescription pain killers, fentanyl and morphine. And so while completely tragic, it is not entirely surprising that his doctor, Daniel Baldi, has now been charged “with eight counts of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly prescribing large amounts of narcotic painkillers to patients who later died of overdoses,” according to The Des Moines Register. Court documents assert that Baldi “did unintentionally cause the death of Paul Gray by the commission of an act likely to cause death or serious injury, to-wit, continually wrote high-dose prescription narcotics to a known drug addict from 12/27/2005 until his death.”

And yes, you read those charges correctly: Baldi is being charged with eight counts for deaths of his patients, plural. Gray is only one of the eight now-deceased people treated by Baldi, which is… well, assuming it’s true, staggering and heart-breaking beyond words. We trust doctors inherently; such an incredible betrayal of that trust is almost impossible to fathom, even if it’s sadly not unheard of in modern society.

Slipknot are expected to release a statement on the matter later today. In the meantime, percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan tells the Register that even though Baldi’s conviction would not “bring back our brother Paul,” he feels that “awareness” needs to be raised “not only [about] substance abuse but the ability to acquire substances, to get chemicals and the efficiency of it.”

Baldi’s attorney, needless to say, claims the doctor is innocent. But if convicted, Baldi faces up to sixteen years in prison… which seems to me like really not that much prison time given the severity of the accusations.

More news as it becomes available.

-AR

[via Noisecreep]