The eighth episode of Murder By Medic, airing on Crime & Investigation on Tuesday, 28 August 2024, at 8:00 pm, focuses on the case of Dr. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng, an osteopathic doctor convicted of second-degree murder in the overdose deaths of three of her patients. This marks the first time in the United States that a doctor faced murder charges for overprescribing drugs, ultimately resulting in a sentence of 30 years to life in prison.
The episode examines how Tseng ran her clinic like a “pill mill,” prescribing opioids despite lacking expertise in pain management. Jesus G., an undercover investigator for the Medical Board of California, reveals that Tseng’s practice deviated from its supposed focus on holistic healing.
The Los Angeles district attorney’s office acknowledged the rarity of homicide charges against physicians but pursued the case amid a prescription drug abuse epidemic. Tseng was convicted not only of three counts of second-degree murder but also of 19 counts of unlawfully prescribing controlled substances and one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
Tseng’s lawyer, Tracy Green, argued that her client naively trusted her patients and should have been convicted of no more than manslaughter. Green expressed concern about the implications of the conviction for the medical profession, intending to appeal the decision.
Murder By Medic: Lisa Tseng airs Tuesday, 28 August 2024, at 8:00 pm on Crime & Investigation.
