Raynaldo Ortiz trial day 2: Defense cross-examines surgery center nurse
On Wednesday morning the defense cross-examined a nurse and administrator who first took the stand on Tuesday. The defense of Dallas anesthesiologist Raynaldo Ortiz has begun cross-examination of Ashley Berks, a nurse at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Center in North Dallas. Berks testified about the investigation into various medical emergencies Ortiz is alleged to have caused by tampering with IV bags. She also testified about surveillance videos of Ortiz handling IV bags, which she claims was outside of his usual duties. The defense is trying to portray these incidents as unique and raise doubt that they may not have been caused by problems with the IV bags themselves. John Kaspar, the husband of Dr. Melanie Kaspar who was sick in 2022, is expected to testify next.
Published : 4 weeks ago by By Kelsy Mittauer, CBS Texas Staff in Politics
DALLAS -- The federal trial of Dallas anesthesiologist Raynaldo Ortiz continued Wednesday morning with the defense cross-examining a nurse who first took the stand on Tuesday.
Ashley Berks, who was an administrator at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Center in North Dallas, testified Tuesday about how the surgery center investigated the various medical emergencies Ortiz is alleged to have caused by tampering with IV bags. She also testified to surveillance videos of Ortiz handling IV bags, which she said was outside of his usual duties.
Berks also recounted how she discovered an IV bag with a hole in it.
On Wednesday, the defense took Berks through a series of medical emergencies that required patients to be transferred to hospitals in the summer of 2022. Ortiz's attorneys are trying to make the point that each emergency was unique, and raise doubt that they may not have been caused by problems with the IV bags.
John Kaspar, the husband of Dr. Melanie Kaspar, is expected to testify next. Dr. Kaspar was another anesthesiologist at the surgery center who was sick in June 2022. John Kaspar says she brought an IV bag home to rehydrate, but minutes after inserting the needle, she suffered a fatal heart attack.
This story will be updated as the trial continues.