Santa Rosa, Calif.-based neurosurgeon Thomas Keller, MD, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges for allegedly causing four patient deaths by overprescribing opioids from 2011 to 2017, according to The Press Democrat.
Three things to know:
1. Dr. Keller also faces four felony counts of providing prescriptions without legitimate medical purposes linked to four other patients and a single count of elder abuse.
2. A judge at Sonoma County Superior Court set bail at $12 million.
3. Dr. Keller will reappear in court for a preliminary hearing Sep. 3 to see if there is enough evidence for a judge to order him to stand trial.
Read more about the charges here.