KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News WeatherCourt says killer OC dentist should go free
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Associated Press - March 10, 2010 12:34 PM ET
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A state appeals court has ordered parole for a former Orange County dentist who was convicted of killing three patients with drug overdoses.
A ruling Tuesday by the 4th District Court of Appeal says 63-year-old Tony Protopappas must be released from prison unless there's 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. 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.
His attorney, Richard Pfeiffer, had told the court that Protopappas accepted responsibility and is remorseful for the deaths.
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