Duntsch was new to the hospitals staff, and just starting to establish his practice, according to a new Oxygen series License to Kill, which premieres Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/PT with an episode about Duntsch. Dr. Henderson had seen a lot, but he wasn't prepared for this. A New Mexico doctor surrendered his license in 2019 while under investigation for drinking alcohol during a telemedicine group session for individuals in recovery. Played by Dominic Burgess in the Peacock series, Summersallowed Duntsch to perform two cervical fusion surgeries on him, which left Summers paralyzed. He was a megalomaniac, says Henderson. But before he can stop him, Kirby is called away to assist in a different surgery. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Critics also state that it is the best offering to date from Peacock, making Dr. Death a significant win for the fledgling streaming service. I obviously understand the necessity for due process, he says. Long before he became a neurosurgeon, the young Christopher Duntsch had dreams of playing college football, but he didn't make the grade at two separate colleges. What Henderson discovered an implanted screw that was grossly malpositioned, as well as plans by Duntsch to operate again on the patient for something unrelated to the symptoms she was exhibiting raised more red flags. The patient died. The doctor failed to properly assess the patient, did not detect the brain bleed and administered potentially harmful medication with a risk of worsening the patients condition, according to the Medical Board of California. He is serving his sentence at the O.B. Henderson is concerned. Read More: Best Podcasts Like Dr. Death SPONSORED LINKS Christopher Daniel Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon nicknamedDr. Death for themurder of two of his patients and the maiming of 30 others while working at hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Yeah. Even though Duntsch's poor surgical record was well known in the medical community,Kirby and Henderson found themselves hamstrung by a complicated process to revoke a physician's medical license. If youve ever had a conviction, you cant get a license,' Carlton said. And to be able to take actions quicker to protect the public.. Upon leaving, a helicopter collided with a transport plane and the men were killed. He was previously suspected of alcohol abuse affecting his work and resigned after testing positive for alcohol during a random breathalyzer screen, according to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. The surgery was so bad, in fact, he asked himself whether this person possibly be an impostor impersonating a physician?Death Dont Have No Mercy performed by Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams, courtesy of Rough Diamond Records.Please tell us what you think about our show and help us by answering a few questions at wondery.com/surveySubscribe to Dr Death on Apple, Spotify, NPR One, Stitcher or sign up for email updates atwondery.comto stay up to date about future episodes.Listen ad free with Wondery+, including exclusive bonus episodes. We also encourage the public and the media to bring any profile issues to our attention just as you did.. He injured two more patientsPhilip Mayfield and Jeff Glidewell. I don't know. Dr. Death is the new true-crime drama on Peacock, inspired by the podcast of the same name that began in 2018. Another, Kellie Martin, bled to death after a botched procedure. I just did what I thought was right," Henderson, And if you want to dive even deeper into the story, you can also watch the new docuseries. Henderson then launched his own investigation into the doctors background, and found that Duntsch had been suspended during his training for alcohol and drug abuse. Eight helicopters had been sent for the mission, but only 5 arrived in operating condition., Since the military had advised that the mission be aborted if there were fewer than 6 helicopters, President Carter stopped it. "And then the screw at the bottom wasnt really even in bone. On the stand he carefully explained the many defects and errors Duntsch had made. On Jan. 11, 2012, Dr. Kirby was called in to assist the cocky young spinal surgeon in what should have been a routine procedure. In February 2017, Duntsch, 50, was convicted of a first-degree felony for intentionally injuring an elderly victim. A key piece of prosecution evidence wound up being a video Henderson had recordedof his attempt to repair Efurd's original operation. It will not be retroactive, at least for now. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. That only lasted for a short while, as he dove deep into the role to bring out the evil of the real-life character in the eight-episode series, he told New York Post. Everything is looked at on a case-by-case basis.. Death Based On A True Story, "He explained to me that he was the best spine surgeon in Dallas," Dr. Kirby said in a 2019 episode of, But if Duntsch came off as arrogant to Kirby early on, their next interaction would prove much worse. A Virginia anesthesiologist was disciplined in 2020 after failing to document his patients medical record and need for continuous respiratory monitoring once transferred out of his care. For Henderson, even after the trial and conviction, questions remain. Ellis Unit in Huntsville and will be eligible for parole in 2045 when he is 74. Texas surgeons Dr. Randall Kirby and Dr. Robert Henderson became convinced that fellow physician Christopher Duntsch was so incompetent it was criminal. Jackson said Duntsch "didn't know he was twisted and that is actually the essence of what is so interesting about playing him. Dr. Henderson continues his long-standing career and is a spine specialist and surgeon with a focus on chronic back and leg pain. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Select the next to any field to update. A bystander saw her raise her arm, grabbed it, and the shot went wild. Peacock's Dr. Death features a high caliber cast and compelling characters based on a true story, prompting many viewers to wonder what the real people look like. , starring Joshua Jackson, Alec Baldwin, and Christian Slater, are both available to stream on Peacock now. I just went up the chain of command, Kirby tells PEOPLE. The average age of At the end of the Dr. Ultimately, he was found guilty of injury to an elderly person in relation to Efurd's injuries. It isnt just a state problem, said Henderson, a highly-respected spinal surgeon in the industry who reported Duntsch to the Texas Medical Board and was instrumental in stopping him. Court testimony would later show that behavior had continued. Did Andr finish grade school, get a GED, go to high school, get a college degree or masters? Duntsch, who declined KXANs multiple requests for an interview, was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 20, 2017. It lies in a natural park and collecting is no longer allowed. Its a national problem.. An Indiana physicians license was placed on indefinite probation after the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked his clinical privileges due to medical impairment, evidenced by documented alcohol dependence and abuse after being intoxicated while on duty and driving under the influence, and a pattern of domestic violence, breaking a no contact order and making false official statements. As a result of the surgery, a ligament in his leg was severed, and he still endures back pain, according to D Magazine. Whether they had malpractice settlements? Right away, Kirby noticed that Duntsch's technique was flawed: instead of using a scalpel to delicately remove a damaged disc, he went in with a grabbing instrument. But it is something that were looking into right now.. I am ready to leave the love and kindness and goodness and patience that I mix with everything else that I am and become a cold blooded killer, he wrote, according to"Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story,"a documentary about the case you can watch on Peacock. After dropping out of the schools in Mississippi and Colorado, he returned to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, to study there. He tracked down the program where Duntsch had completed his surgical training and sent them a picture. He operated on his own friend and surgically detached his spinal column from the base of his skull, effectively decapitating him and leaving him paralysed from the neck down, GQ listed. A search of the TMBs data portal for the doctors we identified found no record of disciplinary actions or criminal histories from other states. Where we share what we remember to make discoveries and meaningful connections with others. A Core Features Editor for Screen Rant specializing in SEO-driven content, Charles Cameron has been managing copy, data reporting, and diverse teams in various forms since 2014. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. He saw himself as a brilliant doctor and a brilliant surgeon. Despite being robbed of his mobility, Summers refused to testify against Duntsch in one of the most heartbreaking moments of the Peacock TV show. We are always trying to find a way to do our jobs better, said the TMBs Executive Director Stephen Carlton in an interview by video conference. It was eventually revoked on December 6, 2013. He was called in to repair the damage done to Jeffrey Glidewell on Duntsch's operating table. The surgeon who'd performed that operation was Christopher Duntsch. Dr. Henderson had seen a lot, but he wasn't prepared for this. Watch clips from the "Dr. Death" show above, starring Alec Baldwin as Dr. Robert Henderson. The first season consists of 10 episodes that explore Duntschs background as well as his medical career. In total, 32 of Duntsch's patients in Texas were affected by his malpractice. Henderson was called in to do a salvage surgery on 71-year-old Mary Efurd, who was suffering from extreme pain following the operation shed had the day before. 'Grey's Anatomy' : Katherine Avery Reveals Her Secret as Owen Makes a Decision about His Future in Medicine, 'Grey's Anatomy' : Kate Walsh's Addison Montgomery Returns as Tragedy Strikes Grey Sloan, Lucy Letby: How Authorities Zeroed in on British Nurse Accused of Murdering Infants in Neonatal Unit, Man Fighting Cancer Marries the Love of His Life Before Surgery on Brain Tumor: 'A Perfect Day', Tamra Judge Opens Up About 'Painful' Abdominoplasty After Life-Saving Hernia Surgery, Joshua Jackson Becomes a Dangerous 'Sociopath' Surgeon in 'Dr. Duntschs trial revolved around the latter charge. In 1964, Independence Day in the Philippines was moved from July 4th to June 12th at the insistence of nationalists and historians. "Dr. Henderson is a fantastic spinal surgeon," Kirby told License to Kill. That patient, Barry Morguloff, reports ProPublica, was left with bone fragments in his spinal canal and experienced constant pain and was temporarily confined to a wheelchair following the procedure. Kirby had worked with Duntsch once and vowed never to do it again. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. An accomplished spinal surgeon, Robert Henderson still resides and practices in Dallas, primarily focussed on chronic back and leg pain. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Henderson and Kirby, working in the same medical orbit, eventually realized they were both aware of Duntsch's catastrophic surgical complications. Morguloff, too, suffered chronic pain after being operated on by Duntsch. He says the TMB promises patients transparency but fails to deliver. Help paint a picture of Andr so that he is always remembered. He welcomed one new member to the group by saying he considered asking the group to commit mass suicide,' according to the New Mexico Medical Board. It helps me to actually have a handhold on more specific cases and situations that have actually occurred and are occurring in Texas, he said, after reviewing KXANs findings. He secured a job at Dallas Medical Center and continued to operate. a He also completed a spine fellowship program despite participating in fewer than 100 surgeries over his four years of residency. He first found employment as a practicing physician in Texas in 2011. Like Dr Henderson, Dr Kirby is still a practicing doctor in real life. The legacy of grievously injured patients left by Dr. Christopher Duntsch is explored in a new Oxygen series, License to Kill. "He never even operated on the disc itself, which he was supposed to remove in its entirety. Henderson learned the third patient had walked in for surgery two days earlier but been unable to bear weight on her legs in the aftermath and was in excruciating pain, he says. After KXAN started asking questions, the Texas Medical Board promised changes. Thats just plain easy to see.. Dog and cat antibiotics are medications prescribed by a veterinarian that can help treat a bacterial infection. Robot, True Romance, Very Bad Things, and Robot Chicken. There is an old saying: Gone to Texas. Two hundred years ago, before Texas became a state, the area that was once part of Mexico was seen by Americans in the South as a place to start over. Outlaws running from the law along with those trying to escape debt collectors, or other personal and legal problems all came looking for a fresh start, according to the University of Texas at Austin. Death in a 2016 D Magazine article, Duntsch described himself in an email, read at trial, as someone ready to become a cold-blooded killer. He left more than 30 patients injured or dead while performing botched spinal surgeries before finally losing his Texas medical license in 2013. He sewed up one mans throat with a bloody sponge inside. In my opinion, we had a serial killer in our medical community, Dr. Randall Kirbysays of Christopher Duntsch in "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story.". Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. As a result, the patient did not receive continuous respiratory monitoring and developed a brain disorder caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. I just knew he had to be stopped.". 1 years shorter than And you cant help them if you dont fight for them.. The attempt failed and 8 US servicemen were killed. It was as if he knew everything to do, Henderson told ProPublica of Duntsch, and then hed done virtually everything wrong.. In 1965, he was 19 years old when on March 8th, the first US combat troops arrived in Vietnam. There is also a nod that Duntsch is the first doctor to be successfully convicted of aggravated assault, which serves as a chilling reminder ofthe human cost of his actions and the true story behind the Dr. Death series. A California physician was forced to surrender her medical license in California in 2019 for repeated negligent acts in the care of a patient suffering from a brain bleed. Hendersonwas called in to do an emergency re-operation on Mary Efurd, attempting to fix the damage done by Christopher Duntsch. It was discovered in 1767 by a shepherdess, who was going to throw a silver rich rock at a goat. He has formed a group made up of several key players involved in the Dr. Death saga all still pushing for change and greater protection for patients. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Andr's lifetime. Robb is known for her roles as Bethany Hamilton in Soul Surfer, Lacey in The Act, and Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, What you need to know ahead of the May 6 election, Share your TxTag troubles & be part of the solution, KXANs beloved Kaxan dies after brain cancer battle. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Theyre not meant to treat viruses, however. This is where it all seemed to start to go wrong, as he was accused of botching a surgery to treat back pain on Lee Passmore. Invite family and friends to share what they know about Andr Ren Roussimoff. They also blamed his actions on poor medical training and lack of oversight at the hospitals where he worked. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Summers died a few months ago, in February 2021, after getting an infection connected to the botched surgery from Duntsch that left him a quadriplegic. AncientFaces is a place where our memories & family stories live. The video would eventually become a crucial piece of evidence in the criminal case against Duntsch. Two of his patients died; at least two others now need wheelchairs after losing mobility. In 1946, in the year that Andr Ren Roussimoff was born, on July 4th, the Philippines gained independence from the United States. Select "Add Memory" to share stories and photos. It was an atrocity. Death, the case gained national attention, revealing how easy it can be for dangerous doctors to transfer between hospitals. All that information is stored in the National Practitioner Data Bank, which, by law, is kept secret from the public. When and where are tornadoes most common in Texas? But during his residence at the University of Tennessee, cracks would show. To date, he's covered a wide range of TV and Film stories for Screen Rant, including delineating exactly why Gladiator 2 should never see the light of day, detailing numerous left-field fan theories, and reporting Netflix's ever-changing top 10 movies and TV shows each week. She failed when her gun wouldn't fire. He was granted temporary privileges at the center and operated on two patients: Floella Brown and Mary Efurd. When we share what we know, together we discover more. So, the board doesnt have a blanket, If youve ever had an action, you cant get a license. The 43-year-old new dad, who welcomed his first child with wife Jodie Turner-Smith last year, brought his WB experience to portray the charming aspect of the surgeon, as the other characters often call him on the show. In total, our team discovered disciplinary actions taken against physicians licensed in Texas spread out over 30 different states with no record on the TMB website. Death, Joshua Jackson On Role Of Surgeon, Christopher Duntsch, In Peacocks Dr. Before leaving their homes, they used chalk to scrawl a three-letter parting message on their cabin doors and fence posts to announce their sudden departure: GTT for Gone to Texas.. The surgeon instead performed an L4-L5 discectomy and admitted he failed to properly confirm the correct level of surgery, according to the Colorado Medical Board, which called the error substandard care.. Ive always fought for patients, Henderson said. Out July 15, Dr. Death introduces viewers to Christopher Duntsch, a real-life Texas-based surgeon who in 2017 was sentenced to life in prison after maiming and even killing almost all of the. "He had a great deal of promise and the tragic side of it, in my opinion, is that if he had never gone the surgery route, I fundamentally believe we would be talking about Christopher Duntsch in a different way.". It suggests there is no absolute oversight and begs the question: Does this law, and the system, have any teeth? They are supposed to disclose that information and put it into the profile, Carlton said. He would not say if any will face any disciplinary actions for not sharing issues in their pasts. Duntschs story was first told in a podcast also titled Dr Death released in September 2018 by Wondery, a studio now owned by Amazon. It is a sentiment echoed by other patient advocates who believe it is a matter of when not if., Well, said Henderson, I think the odds of it are pretty darn high.. As heard in the podcast, Duntsch reportedly continued to operate despite the fact Martin was losing a significant amount of blood. The 3500 Marines joined 23,000 "advisors" already in South Vietnam. Anybody with any basic understanding of anatomy wouldnt have done what he did.. Bush who was seeking his second term. As far as, Does the [Texas] Medical Board go and review all, you know, 154,000 of our licensees to make sure that theyve disclosed everything thats come in? Thats something thats a little more time intensive that the medical board has not in the past done, Carlton said. on Peacock, which features interviews with numerous people intimately involved in the case. 1 death record, 1 follower 398 favorites. Here's a look at all the major Dr. Death characters and their real-life counterparts. "I've wondered if he waschemically altered to the point where he became completely incompetent as a surgeon and as a physician. Roussimoff family member is 47. Who is Andr Roussimoff to you? She worked with Dr Henderson and Dr Kirby to bring Duntsch to justice, talking to everyone from his life, both from after he became a doctor and from when he was still training to be one. Santa Clarita Diet's Dominic Burgess plays Jerry Summers, a former patient and best friend of Dr Death's. It is unclear after speaking with him why the public profiles for the physicians KXAN identified had not been updated. By the end of his residency, he had finished less than 100 operations; the average neurosurgeon is expected to perform around 1,000 by the end, according to the outlet. Patients, meanwhile, are kept in the dark. Well, Henderson said, I think the odds of it are pretty darn high.. In the docuseries, Kirby notes that Glidewell would be the last person Duntsch operated on, but he was one of more than 30 that the surgeon left either maimed, in chronic pain or, in two cases, dead, in a two-year span. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Eventually, after repeated letters, calls, and acts of whistleblowing, Henderson and Kirby attracted the attention of the Dallas District Attorney's office who agreed to prosecute Duntsch on charges of assault and harm to an elderly person, specifically Mary Efurd, a 71-year-old patient who suffered a botched back surgery. two fellow doctors who were determined to bring Duntsch to justice. In Texas, doctors are required to report felony convictions within 30 days. Robert Henderson was a veteran spinal surgeon in Dallas when he got an unusual phone call from a local hospital: a new surgeon had operated so poorly that a patient whod walked in on her own two feet now couldnt even wiggle her toes. We can look at him from the outside, the outcome and evidence are all you need, right? He then left a surgical sponge in Glidewell's neck that had begun to fester when Kirby removed it. Adding to those complications is the fact that in Texas, "I felt he was a serial killer and serial maimer. While Carlton said he cannot comment on the specific cases we identified, he said it is up to the board to determine if a physician is safe to practice on a case-by-case basis. It became apparent that this physician, Dr. Duntsch, had no business being involved in her care at all.". Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. in the family tree section to add relatives, or press the "X" In July 2012, Duntsch performed surgery on Mary Efurd, a woman in her seventies who lost mobility and was left needing a wheelchair after the procedure. Duntsch had mistaken part of Glidewell's esophagus for a tumor and removed it. Clinton won 43.01% of the popular vote to Bush's 37.45%. Death: The Undoctored Story, saying,This was attempted murder.. I feel like he thought he was a really good doctor and I think some of his surgeries were on purpose because he was angry or power-hungry and others were just botched. 1 birth record, View Id call him a sociopath.. Before being fired for failing to meet standards of care, Duntsch resigned. For a few years, he worked at a company focused on cell-based therapy. Andr Ren Roussimoff lived Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! By the end of the year, 190,000 American soldiers were in the country. But unfortunately, sometimes doctors can be evil and twisted. "He doesn't have the gravitas or body of work to be able to make that statement.". They also argued that he was motivated by money to continue operating despite his poor performance. He even left his friend Jerry Summers a quadriplegic after a botched operation. Some physicians were disciplined following criminal charges including driving drunk, domestic violence, possession of a controlled substance and operating a firearm while intoxicated, KXAN found. He tracked down the program where Duntsch. Kirby at crossed paths with Duntsch at Baylor-Plano and in 2013 was. He destroyed the lives of essentially every single patient that he touched. Dr. Deathstars Joshua Jackson, Alec Baldwin, and Christian Slater and is a shocking tale of medical malpractice on multiple levels. Speaking to Newsweek, showrunner Patrick Macmanus said: "I believe that he was a product of his nature, as a narcissistic sociopath. Grenoble, Isere County, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes France. 1 in heat-related pet deaths, New parking meters, price increase at Zilker Park, Air quality awareness: Austins problem pollutants. All eight episodes are streaming on Peacock now. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. In 2017, he was convicted of maiming Efurd and sentenced to life in prison, where he remains today. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Andr Ren Roussimoff of Paris, Paris County, le-de-France France was born on May 19, 1946 in Grenoble, Isere County, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, and died at age 46 years old on January 27, 1993 in Paris, Paris County, le-de-France. Dr. Robert Henderson was a veteran spinal surgeon in Dallas when he got an unusual phone call from a local hospital: a new surgeon had operated so poorly that a patient who'd walked in on her own two feet now couldn't even wiggle her toes. Erwin Center demolition to be completed in 2024, Amazon funding computer science education for students, Effects of maternal mortality on the family, Rethinking cultural competency in hospitals, APD: Car found in Lady Bird Lake overnight, Week starts with sunshine, ends with storms, Austin neighborhood has 3 house fires in nine months, Pitching, defense lead UT to series win over TCU, Anthropos Arts celebrates 25 years of free lessons, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day: Where you can adopt, Austin snaps long goalless streak in 2-2 draw, Coburn, Ojomo, Johnson picked on last day of NFL, Austin officials sued over Statesman funding plan. Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. Duntsch has been accused of injuring 33 patients during surgeries. My first thought as I discovered the gravity of the situation was that this man might not have even been trained as a physician, let alone a surgeon, he says. Joshua Jackson stars as Duntsch in the fictionalized retelling of the disturbing case, while Christian Slater and Alec Baldwin play Randall Kirby and Robert Henderson, respectively, two fellow doctors who were determined to bring Duntsch to justice. the average Roussimoff family member "I've looked at the imaging and I can't hardly even believe what I'm seeing," Henderson says. By the time the Dallas County district attorneys office got involved and brought criminal charges against Duntsch, the prosecutor counted 33 of his surgeries that had gone wrong and two patients were dead. The Biography section is collaborative, where we work together to present the facts. Death Series, Dr. Few states provide information on malpractice payouts, hospital adverse actions, criminal convictions and information from other states that patients would likely want to see to make informed healthcare decisions. Our team searched through thousands of disciplinary records, spanning more than a dozen states, to discover some physicians are coming to Texas to leave their pasts behind. Dr. Randall Kirby and Dr. Robert Henderson were the two men who did everything in their power to take down Duntsch. Duntsch has been accused of injuring 33 patients during surgeries. Related:Why Peacock's Removal of Controversial WWE Content Is A Bad Move. He still found some success at first after moving to Dallas, Texas, where he started in a private practice focused on back pain and spinal issues before starting work as a surgeon in 2011 at Baylor Regional Medical Center in the city of Plano. The closing scene of Dr. Death drives home that the series is based on real events, with an epilogue confirming Duntsh's incarceration and commemorating those that gave testimony to put the doctor behind bars. A British native, Charles also is an avid football fan, podcast co-creator, and Brand Strategy & Content Manager for Text Inspector who loves delivering new content en-masse across various forms of media. What is Andr's ethnicity and where did his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents come from? After another botched surgery at Baylor-Plano, in which patient Kellie Martin bled to death, the hospital allowed Duntsch to quietly resign. Christian Slater, who plays Kirby, told Newsweek: "After speaking with the real Dr. Kirby, his opinion is that this guy is a psychopath and really should not have been ever near an operating theatre, so that gave him the foundation to really stand up and do the right thing and do everything he could to stop this maniac.".