The TV adaptation of podcast network Wondery's "Dr. Death" series has begun filming in New Mexico.
Six things to know:
1. The series follows the case of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, MD, who is serving a life sentence after he was convicted of aggravated assault associated with care provided in the operating room.
2. In 2011, Mr. Duntsch began practicing with the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute in Dallas and received surgical privileges at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, Texas. Several of the procedures he performed at Baylor resulted in lawsuits and permanent physical damage to patients.
3. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Duntsch's operations left 31 patients paralyzed or seriously injured and two of them dead.
4. In a spinal fusion procedure on his childhood friend Jerry Summers, Mr. Duntsch penetrated an artery and paralyzed Mr. Summers from the neck down. Mr. Summers died in February from an infection acquired after he was left a quadriplegic, according to ABC affiliate Local 24 News.
5. In 2017, Mr. Duntsch was convicted for aggravated assault associated with care provided in the operating room.
6. The series is being produced by NBC's Peacock streaming service, according to a March 25 news release. Joshua Jackson, Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater will star in leading roles.