How did a seemingly brilliant, acclaimed, and highly referred neurosurgeon end up hurting 34 of his patients? 

In this class, we will be diving into the story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch: a Doctor with a seemingly bright future ahead, and how he ended up in prison. 

In the first class, we will talk about who Dr. Duntsch is, the events that took place, and all the evidence that was presented at trial. Students will have ample opportunity to give their thoughts and reactions throughout the entire class.

In the second class, we will learn the legal theories behind medical malpractice (civil law) and a brief overview of the different levels of homicide, focusing on negligent homicide. Students will use what they learned about Christopher Duntsch to analyze his case against medical malpractice and negligent homicide. I will present the legal theory and then ask students to analyze the case based on that. 

Ultimately, Dr. Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison. The State of Texas charged him with a different--but related--crime rather than negligent homicide. We will discuss why that is (this ultimately leads to a bigger discussion about the burden of proof in criminal law). 

It's going to be a shocking, discussion-packed, and educational two days. I hope to see your learner there!