Lawyer for Enfield Dentist Argues Criminal Charges Are Double Jeopardy

The lawyer for the Enfield dentist who is facing a criminally negligent homicide charge after a patient died during a procedure in his Enfield office, is seeking to have the charge dropped, claiming it is double jeopardy.

The lawyer for Dr. Rashmi Patel, who’s already has been sanctioned by the state Dental Commission, made the claim in state Superior Court in Hartford on Tuesday, according to The Courant. Patel faces the charge in connection with the February 2014 death of patient Judith Gan, 64, of Ellington, who had 20 teeth removed during a procedure in Patel’s Enfield office.

Gan died at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA.

The state Dental Commission voted in December to suspend Patel’s license pending a full review of his practice after finding he didn’t properly care for two patients, including Gan. The commission also voted that Patel be permanently banned from performing conscious sedation and to place him on five years of probation should his dental license be restored.

Patel, who lives in Suffield and has offices in Enfield and Torrington, including Enfield Family Dental Care, has denied any wrongdoing.

Judge Joan K. Alexander told defense attorney Hubert J. Santos she would consider his double jeopardy claim in a formal motion and continued Patel’s case to May 21, according to The Courant. Patel was arrested by Enfield Police in February.

The Courant story can be found here.

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Photo: Rashmi Patel. Credit: Enfield Police via The Courant.