An Ohio judge has denied a former physician’s attempt to bring his defamation lawsuit against Columbus-based Mount Carmel Health System to a jury trial, effectively ending the case at the trial court level, The Columbus Dispatch reported June 16.
William Husel, DO, filed the defamation lawsuit against Mount Carmel, its former CEO and its parent company — Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health — in 2019. Dr. Husel was fired from the health system after being accused of ordering potentially fatal painkiller doses for 14 near-death patients.Â
He was charged with 25 counts of murder in June 2019 and later dismissed on 11 charges and acquitted on the remaining 14 after a two-month trial in 2022. He surrendered his medical license shortly after the criminal trial.Â
In the lawsuit, Dr. Husel accused Mount Carmel of orchestrating a negative media campaign against him that damaged his reputation and made it difficult for him to obtain a job as a physician.
Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh ruled June 16 that Dr. Husel’s team failed to prove the health system’s statements directly caused harm to his reputation. The judge also found the statements were opinions, which under Ohio law cannot be the basis for defamation claims.
Dr. Husel was seeking to have the case decided by a jury and was expected to request more than $17 million in damages. Adam Ford, his lawyer, said they are considering an appeal.
“We are disappointed by the court’s decision to remove this case from the jury’s hands,” he said in a June 16 statement shared with Becker’s. “This case has always been about more than one courtroom or one ruling. It is about truth, accountability, and the right of every individual to defend their name against false and damaging accusations. That fight does not end today.”
Mount Carmel shared the following statement with Becker’s: “We are pleased with the judge’s decision.”
