Former nurse to stand trial on 7 charges of murder, 10 attempted murder

The prosecution has charged former hospital employee Petr Zelenka with murder and attempted murder in a case which shocked the Czech Republic last year. The former nurse is accused of having killed seven patients and having planned to murder an additional ten people through the administering of the blood-thinning drug heparin in the hospital ward in Havlickuv Brod, where he worked. During the investigation, the suspect admitted to a number of the killings but his lawyer has stated the confessions were given under the threat of physical force, something which the police have denied. Mr Zelenka’s trial is due to begin in three months; if found guilty, Mr Zelenka could face a life sentence.