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Florence doctor found guilty in opiate case

November 24, 2017 by Editor

A jury found Dr. Chris Christensen guilty Monday morning on all 22 counts of over-prescribing opiates to 11 patients, two of whom overdosed and died as a result.

Christensen had originally faced 400 felony counts, which were reduced to 22 counts on the eve of his month-long trial in Hamilton before District Judge Jeff Langton.

After nearly a month at trial, the jury found Christensen guilty of two counts of negligent homicide, 11 counts of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs and nine counts of criminal endangerment, all felonies. The case went to the jury for deliberation on Nov. 16. The jury was polled following the reading of the verdicts; all 12 agreed with the verdicts.

Christensen faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the negligent homicide counts; up to 25 years on each of the distribution of dangerous drug counts; and up to 10 years on each of the endangerment counts.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 27.

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