sr71blackbird
12-16-2003, 03:53 AM
SOMERVILLE, N.J. - Investigators are poring over reopened patient records in two
states following the arrest of a nurse with a checkered career who told police he fatally
drugged up to 40 terminally ill people under his care.
If Cullen's contentions prove true, it would be one of the biggest hospital murder cases in
U.S. history.
During a court appearance Monday, Cullen stood and told the judge, "I am going to plead
guilty. I don't plan to fight this." Cullen said he did not want a lawyer, and was held on $1
million bail.
Cullen was charged with murder in the death of a Roman Catholic clergyman who was a
patient at Somerset Medical Center. He was also charged with the attempted murder of a
40-year-old woman at the same Somerville hospital.
Prosecutors were notified by Somerset Medical Center officials after the hospital fired
Cullen on Oct. 31. An internal review had found questionable lab results involving six of
Cullen's patients.
Somerset turned over information on the six cases to the prosecutor's office, said Dr.
William Cors, the hospital's chief medical officer. All six patients had "multiple, serious
medical problems," Cors said.
The charges filed Monday involve the death of the Very Rev. Florian J. Gall, vicar of
Hunterdon County in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, who died June 28 at
Somerset. It was later determined that he had died from a lethal and unauthorized dose
of the drug digoxin, a heart medication.
The attempted murder charge stems from the discovery on June 16 that a 40-year-old
heart and cancer patient had an elevated level of digoxin. The woman recovered from
the overdose and was released from the hospital, but died in September.
Cullen had a checkered career and bounced from hospital to hospital. In August 1997, he
was fired from Morristown Memorial Hospital for "poor performance," a spokeswoman
for the hospital's parent company said.
Cullen worked at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa., from June 2000 to June 2002,
and resigned amid allegations that he had at least twice hidden unopened heart and blood
pressure medications in a safety bin for used needles, Lehigh County District Attorney
James Martin said.
St. Luke's spokeswoman Susan Schantz said Cullen was immediately removed from
contact with patients. The hospital also commissioned an independent cardiologist to
review the records of 67 cardiac patients who died in the previous six months. The
review turned up no evidence that any of the patients had been harmed.
Schantz said the hospital was never subsequently contacted by anyone checking Cullen's
employment references. "Had we been asked, we would have recommended that he not
be hired," she said.
Charles Cullen, 43, told authorities he administered drug overdoses to put "very sick"
patients out of their misery over the last 16 years in nine hospitals and a nursing home in
New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
"The evidence that we have indicates that may very well be the case," prosecutor Wayne
Forrest said. Cullen was charged with one count each of murder and attempted murder,
but more charges could follow.
Investigators are examining records at facilities where Cullen worked as they try to
document his claims about the other killings.
Cullen had no record of complaints or any disciplinary actions in New Jersey since he
obtained a nursing license in the state in 1987, according to Genene Morris, a
spokeswoman for the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Cullen also was licensed to work in Pennsylvania since June 1994, according to the
Pennsylvania Department of State. His license was in good standing, officials said.
In Pennsylvania, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said his office
is investigating whether Cullen was responsible for the death of a patient at Easton
Hospital, where he worked for a few months in late 1998 and early 1999.
"We are looking at him, and we are looking at what transpired there,"
Morganelli said.
Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, Pa., said
states following the arrest of a nurse with a checkered career who told police he fatally
drugged up to 40 terminally ill people under his care.
If Cullen's contentions prove true, it would be one of the biggest hospital murder cases in
U.S. history.
During a court appearance Monday, Cullen stood and told the judge, "I am going to plead
guilty. I don't plan to fight this." Cullen said he did not want a lawyer, and was held on $1
million bail.
Cullen was charged with murder in the death of a Roman Catholic clergyman who was a
patient at Somerset Medical Center. He was also charged with the attempted murder of a
40-year-old woman at the same Somerville hospital.
Prosecutors were notified by Somerset Medical Center officials after the hospital fired
Cullen on Oct. 31. An internal review had found questionable lab results involving six of
Cullen's patients.
Somerset turned over information on the six cases to the prosecutor's office, said Dr.
William Cors, the hospital's chief medical officer. All six patients had "multiple, serious
medical problems," Cors said.
The charges filed Monday involve the death of the Very Rev. Florian J. Gall, vicar of
Hunterdon County in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, who died June 28 at
Somerset. It was later determined that he had died from a lethal and unauthorized dose
of the drug digoxin, a heart medication.
The attempted murder charge stems from the discovery on June 16 that a 40-year-old
heart and cancer patient had an elevated level of digoxin. The woman recovered from
the overdose and was released from the hospital, but died in September.
Cullen had a checkered career and bounced from hospital to hospital. In August 1997, he
was fired from Morristown Memorial Hospital for "poor performance," a spokeswoman
for the hospital's parent company said.
Cullen worked at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa., from June 2000 to June 2002,
and resigned amid allegations that he had at least twice hidden unopened heart and blood
pressure medications in a safety bin for used needles, Lehigh County District Attorney
James Martin said.
St. Luke's spokeswoman Susan Schantz said Cullen was immediately removed from
contact with patients. The hospital also commissioned an independent cardiologist to
review the records of 67 cardiac patients who died in the previous six months. The
review turned up no evidence that any of the patients had been harmed.
Schantz said the hospital was never subsequently contacted by anyone checking Cullen's
employment references. "Had we been asked, we would have recommended that he not
be hired," she said.
Charles Cullen, 43, told authorities he administered drug overdoses to put "very sick"
patients out of their misery over the last 16 years in nine hospitals and a nursing home in
New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
"The evidence that we have indicates that may very well be the case," prosecutor Wayne
Forrest said. Cullen was charged with one count each of murder and attempted murder,
but more charges could follow.
Investigators are examining records at facilities where Cullen worked as they try to
document his claims about the other killings.
Cullen had no record of complaints or any disciplinary actions in New Jersey since he
obtained a nursing license in the state in 1987, according to Genene Morris, a
spokeswoman for the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Cullen also was licensed to work in Pennsylvania since June 1994, according to the
Pennsylvania Department of State. His license was in good standing, officials said.
In Pennsylvania, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said his office
is investigating whether Cullen was responsible for the death of a patient at Easton
Hospital, where he worked for a few months in late 1998 and early 1999.
"We are looking at him, and we are looking at what transpired there,"
Morganelli said.
Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, Pa., said