AG Hunter Comments on Verdict in Regan Nichols Case

Mike Seals - May 2, 2021 9:42 pm

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today released the following statement after jurors convicted Regan Nichols of second-degree murder after at least five of her patients died during her time working at a Midwest City clinic.

Attorney General Hunter thanked the jurors for their work and allowing justice to prevail.

“The facts and the evidence in this case were clear – through her reckless overprescribing, Regan Nichols put her patients in danger, which led to tragic deaths,” Attorney General Hunter said. “The victims, and the many who became addicts because of her irresponsible behavior, were individuals who trusted her with their lives. She put profit over their very existence, which is not only criminal, but also immoral. To be abundantly clear, Regan Nichols is in the category of a tiny minority of doctors who care more about money than their patients. The vast majority do everything they can to ensure the wellbeing of the Oklahomans they treat. I thank the jury for recognizing that distinction and finding her guilty.

“I also appreciate Senior Deputy Attorney General Joy Thorp, Assistant Attorney General Dane Towery and their team, who poured their hearts and souls into this case. They worked tirelessly for this outcome. Not just to secure the guilty verdict, but for the family members and surviving loved ones of the victims, who died horrible deaths at Nichols’ hands.

“It is my fervent hope that this outcome will give the victims’ families some semblance of peace.”

Nichols was originally charged in June 2017. She was an osteopathic physician who was found guilty today of knowingly prescribing controlled dangerous substances to patients without a legitimate medical need, in quantities and circumstances that are considered an extreme disregard of human life.

The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s reports stated all five deaths were the result of multi-drug toxicity.

Through the investigation, agents found the five individuals who died were prescribed more than 1,800 opioid pills in the same months as their deaths. Three of the five individuals were prescribed a deadly three drug combination of a narcotic opioid pain reliever, an anti-anxiety drug and a muscle relaxer. All the prescriptions were signed by Nichols.

After a September 2015 hearing before the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners, the board stripped Nichols of her prescribing authority of controlled dangerous substances. She voluntarily surrendered her credentials with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

Nichols’ sentencing will be at a later date.

 

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