International - India & World   

Surgeon may not get fair trial, says friend

Melbourne: India-born surgeon Jayant Patel, linked to the death of 17 patients, may not get a fair trial in Australia, his friend Vijay Mehta has said even as a human rights group here demanded a U.S.-style cross-examination of jurors, saying that the “race factor cannot be denied.”

Australia is in the process of extraditing Dr. Patel from the U.S. on 16 charges, including three of manslaughter, in connection with the death of the patients at a Queensland government hospital.

The Australian Council for Civil Liberties President Terry O’Gorman said there was “intense and unrelenting” media coverage of the case — evidenced by the fact that he was widely recognised as ‘Dr. Death’.

He said a U.S.-style cross-examination of jurors, to weed out any bias or preconception of Dr. Patel, would be a better way to ensure fairness.

“Unless you question jurors ... you rely on their goodwill and that’s a pretty fragile thing to hang somebody’s freedom on,” he said.

“Overseas and India-trained doctors complained after the Patel scenario emerged that they were being targeted,” he said.

It is expected that Dr. Patel, who lives in Portland, Oregon, will be arrested by U.S. marshals once the final paperwork is completed between the Australian and U.S. authorities.

Mr. Mehta, who said the surgeon will fight his extradition, said he was inundated with email from Dr. Patel’s Australian supporters. He said many Australians believed the surgeon was “a great man.”— PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Bush urges Musharraf to hold elections
Black smoke... lots of people lying dead
North Korea begins disabling nuclear sites
70,000 Indians avail of UAE amnesty
Karuna’s trial for “war crimes” urged
“Adopt multi-pronged strategy against terrorism”
Pirates release vessel
Russia, China sign deals
Canada seeks skilled Indians
Surgeon may not get fair trial, says friend
Indian-American elected to lead Houston varsity

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu