'Poison Doc' Pleads Guilty

C E N T R A L  I S L I P, N.Y., Sept. 6 -- Former physician Michael Swangopleaded guilty to fatally poisoning three patients in a Long Islandhospital and was sentenced to life without parole today.

U.S. District Judge Jacob Mishler handed down the consecutiveterms after Michael Swango entered his pleas. Swango, a former OhioState intern, fidgeted slightly, but showed no emotion whensentenced.

The sentence was part of a plea agreement in which Swangoadmitted guilt to five of nine counts in a federal indictment.Family members of his victims were in court for the sentencing.

Victims’ Survivors Urge Stiff PenaltySwango refused an opportunity to address the court beforesentencing, but admitted to the three murders in open court.

In each case, Swango stated he intentionally killed the victimby “administering toxic substances which I knew were likely tocause death.”

Outraged survivors of his victims had urged the judge to handdown a harsh sentence.

“I just hope Michael spends the rest of his life in a livinghell,” said Carol Fisher, daughter of victim Thomas Sammarco.

Swango additionally pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracyto defraud for lying on his resume in order to get medical jobs.Each of those counts carried a 14-month jail term.

Swango, dubbed Dr. Death in various news reports, had previouslypleaded innocent to all charges. He was arrested on the New Yorkallegations just days before his release from a federal prison inColorado, where he was jailed for lying about his criminal recordto get his job on Long Island.

Today, he pleaded guilty to the 1993 murders of threeelderly patients — Sammarco, George Siano and Aldo Serini —at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Northport.

Swango allegedly injected the three with toxins. In two of thecases, he then told other hospital staff that the patients’families had issued “do not resuscitate” orders, the indictmentsaid.

Years of Medical Practice