Victims' Families Confront Rowland Heights Doctor Convicted of Murder
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Families of the victims of a Rowland Heights doctor convicted of second-degree murder for the drug overdose deaths of three of her patients confronted her in court Monday.
Hsui-Ying "Lisa" Tseng, 45, was found guilty on Oct. 30 in the deaths of Vu Nguyen, 29, of Lake Forest; Steven Ogle, 25, of Palm Desert; and Joseph Rovero III, 21, of San Ramon in the Bay Area.
For Rovero's mother, April, six years has not eased the pain of losing her son to a prescription-drug overdose. "I would like Lisa Tseng to know how deeply Joe's death has affected all of us who loved him," she said.
"All of these tragedies were avoidable," said April, whose son overdosed after mixing alcohol with Xanax and oxycodone prescribed by Tseng.
"My fear is she has no remorse and will not admit the blame or responsibility," the family member of another victim said.
"During which office visit did you no longer see my son as a person and only as a deposit into your bank account?" asked Verlene Crawford, the mother of another of Tseng's patient, Naythan Kenney, who overdosed on Sept. 20, 2008. "Did you ever look in the mirror and were sickened by what you saw?"
Crawford said if Tseng believed she wasn't guilty, she would be able to look family members "straight in the eyes."
The victims' loved ones wanted the doctor to show remorse. But Tseng sat quietly and showed no emotions as the families tearfully confronted her in court.
Tseng, who is married with two children ages 8 and 10, is the first doctor in California to be convicted of second-degree murder for prescribing drugs to her patients that led to their deaths, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.
Nine of Tseng's patients died in less than three years, a period when Tseng took in $5 million from her clinic, according prosecutors.
In addition, Kenney and at least two other Tseng patients — Matthew Stavron and Ryan Latham — overdosed between 2007 and 2008. At least three other families have filed lawsuits against Tseng.
In a dramatic exchange, Latham's father told Tseng her responsibility was "the same as if you had held a loaded gun...and pulled the trigger."
"I grieve for you. And I want to reflect on a lot you shared. Please know that your words are very important," said Tracy Green, Tseng's attorney, who spoke on behalf of her client. Some of the family members said that statement was not sincere.
The jury also convicted Tseng of 19 counts of unlawful controlled substance prescription and one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
Tseng could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole when she is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5.