Appeals court says OC dentist convicted of 3 deaths in 1980s must be freed from prison
By APWednesday, March 10, 2010
Court says killer OC dentist should go free
SANTA ANA, Calif. — A state appeals court has ordered parole for a former Southern California dentist convicted of killing three patients with drug overdoses.
A ruling Tuesday by the 4th District Court of Appeal said 63-year-old Tony Protopappas must be released from prison unless there is new evidence that he’s a danger to society.
Protopappas has served more than 25 years of a potential life sentence for second-degree murder.
His attorney, Richard Pfeiffer, told the court Protopappas accepted responsibility and is remorseful for the deaths.
Thirteen-year-old Patricia Craven, 23-year-old Kim Andreassen and 31-year-old Cathryn Jones died after he gave them too much anesthesia at his Costa Mesa office in the early 1980s.
