Headline News
Paul Gray's Physician Charged With Eight Counts Of Involuntary Manslaughter
Band Photo: Slipknot (?)
The Des Moines Register has reported that Daniel Baldi was charged with several counts of involuntary manslaughter for the crime of allegedly over-prescribing painkillers to patients who subsequently passed away after overdosing.
Among the deaths that lead to the charges was that of Slipknot's Paul Gray, who died in 2010. Slipknot has now issued the following statement about the development:
"As the loss of our brother Paul Gray is still very fresh for us in the Slipknot family, this new development has us all in a state of anger and sadness. The fact that this person took advantage of our brother’s illness while he was in a position to help others has outraged everyone in our family.
"We can only hope that justice will be served so this can NEVER happen to anyone else ever again! Our thoughts go out to the families of the other victims. We plan to cooperate as much as we possibly can to ensure this tragedy is never repeated, and to make sure this man pays for what he has done."
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41 Comments on "Paul Gray's Physician Charged With Manslaughter"
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That mother f***er. I hope he pays direly for his actions. I hate f***ers that take advantage of other people, and what he did was unheard of. This son of a b**** better have a lot coming to him, and not in the good sense. Rest peacefully Paul Gray. I cant sympathize, because I dont know what its like to lose someone that close, but you have my wishes.
Member
There's two sides to this.
Yes, the doctor should not have enabled the behavior.
However, let also be realistic with how Paul's behavior was. He had a documented history of abusing drugs. With the notoriety, fame and associated wealth, he had the ability to get his drugs from multiple sources. Dr. Baldi may have just been the easiest route.
Should he be held responsible to something that may have been inevitable? Let the courts decide. If convicted, it will set a precedent that could lead to reduction in legitimate prescriptions being written - for better or worse.
So Paul went to a doctor for medication complaining of pain, and the doctor gave it to him. Sounds like pretty standard practice to me. Not to mention I'm sure Paul, with his history, and thus knowledge, of drugs knew exactly the risk he was taking when he popped those pills. It wouldn't have mattered how low of a dosage the doctor gave him, take enough, get high. If the doctor had prescribed a low dosage people would be complaining he is trying to make more money for himself because then Paul would be forced to purchase more meds. Sending this doctor to jail isn't going to bring the drug addicts back. The tragedy is the addiction itself.
Member
While I feel bad for his wife and child I have a hard time feeling anything toward him.
It says he was found with a needle and morphine next to him as well as the prescription drug phantanyl (Pain med).
He also had signs of heart disease.
Sorry but as Micheal Jackson proved. If you have the $$$ you can find anyone to mutilate your face or in Gray's case, give you all the dope you want.
Does that excuse the doctor?
No.
But does that excuse a junkie who thoughtlessly left behind a wife and child.
Sorry but...no.
He made the choices that lead him to his death.
I wish people, Slipknot especially would stop acting like he died rushing into a burning orphanage.
He lived a junkie and died one.
Hopefully his kid can grow up with a real role model for a father.
Member
What is up with this sh**? What happen to Paul Gray was a tragedy and he will be truly missed but it happened 2 years ago. Yes the doctor was a f***ing sh** head for prescribing Paul Gray the wrong drugs but Paul Gray also has a past with drug abuse. And what is up with manslaughter charges? The sh** with this and the sh** with Blythe. It isn't the doctors fault. RIP, Paul Gray <;3
i blame courtney love, shes an evil b****! i understand why they have to make the doc pay a price, but that doesn't mean it was not pauls fault. if there is no penalty for over prescribing many docs would just become straight up drug dealers. they already try to over medicate this country and rarely look to alternatives.
Until the details of the case come out, these knee-jerk judgment calls are highly inappropriate. In the Michael Jackson case it was determined that the doctor didn't perform his duties as required for safety when administering propofol; we may discover that the painkilers in Paul Gray's possession/system are not to be prescribed to morphine users or used in conjunction with opiate-based sedatives. Considering the seven other deaths coming from this one doctor, the more likely answer is that he was just a pill farm: doctors who write inappropriate amounts of prescriptions for drugs that are supposed to be dispensed in limited amounts (Xanax is a common one, as is Oxycontin).
There's an amount of truth to "blaming" the junkie, but when they seek treatment it's a bit like "blaming" the cancer patient. Addiction is a disease that can be managed, and it sounds like he didn't find the help he needed in time, which is tragic. Show some respect.
Member
^^ that's all good and well but paul gray was a known drug addict. If that doctor would have refused he would have simply have found another one that would. If you say is doctor should have advised him to seek help then you could also put that kind of blame on his family and friends. From all of his drug charges I never saw news of him seeking help or going into a rehab center. This doesn't make his death any less tragic to the ones that cared about him or doesn't alleviate the fact the doctor was still doing something he knows he shouldn't have been doing and have to face the crime for it. But, the one person that could have truly fixed this entire situation is no longer here and I believe that to be the truth.
How easy are presciption drugs to get in the USA?? Seems alot of people die due to them over there - surely there is something that must be done to stop over use?? yo ucant fix everything in life with a pill! Just tough it out for once......
Here in Australia we are very limited, while you can get them you have to be very sneaky if you have a drug problem. Its much easier to get illegal drugs than legal ones.
Member
The doctor should have just prescribed some medical marijuana and Paul Gray would still be alive today. Real justice would include the pharmaceutical companies to be held accountable for the chemical c***tails they flood the market with. Pharma reps whore out there products to doctors then people wonder why so many people overdose on them. it is all a scam. The biggest drug dealer in the world is the United States government.
Member
Had the good Dr. recommended a violent fisting instead, he would not be currently charged. However, as a Dr. I can say with utmost confidence: had Paul not gotten his Rx from that particular Dr. he would have found another and the end result would have been the same. Drugs are bad mmmkay?
You have got to be kidding me?! I can't believe it. when I sa this I had to read. This is ridiculous, I hope this guy gets punished big time. I've been a fan of Slipknot since I was eight years od, and to read this outrages me. R.I.P Brother, you'll never be forgotten.
Member
guess dr feelgood gets the blame on this one
indeed if you are sick and you wil get medication for it
but hey dont blame the dr if you die of a drug overdose
he should had read the paper that comes with the medication
and yes he used to be a junkie so who is to blame here do think mr paul he did like the mediction to much
Member
"all of you blaming the DR are fkn retarded. Paul would have gotten his fix somehow from somewhere else if the DR said no. PAUL WAS A DRUGGIE WHO BROUGHT HIS DEATH UPON HIMSELF......Its just another junkie dead....."
well im glad youre able to see the future of what would have happened if reality didnt turn out the way it did. idiot. yeah, he was a junkie, and yes, he overdosed by his own actions, but it's much more important to track down dumbass doctors like this one who let sh** like this slide, normally when you don't do your job, you lose your job, and if your responcible for killing a man (or even involved with helping do so), then you go to jail and are punished for it. people like this (especially if youre a doctor) need a good slap in the face, and blaming a junkie alone is stupid when someone had to deliver drugs to him somehow, the fact that hed keep looking for drugs is completely irrelivant, the issue here is a doctor DID give him the drugs and knew damn well who this man was and chances are know his history.... my point is, blaming the doctor is nowhere near as retarded as claiming this is all the junkies fault... otherwise you're just in it for an arguement or an enabler..
Writer/Reviewer
These charge wouldn't have been brought to the table had several patients not passed away in a small period of time. The doctor, being the common link these addicts shared, should have his methods and practices brought into question.
To blame either the addicts (who were suffering, albeit by their own actions) were seeking treatment and help if not a fix, OR the doctor (for being a "legal drug dealer") is to de-validate the practice of helping addicts who in many cases are genuinely trying to help themselves recover.
Until the legal process concludes, everything that everyone here is assuming they know about the doctor, Paul Gray or any of the other deceased people is pure conjecture.
Member
While we really couldn't know what the actual facts in this case are, we should remember that a large amount of doctors work as freelancers, and their patients are their customers.
Now if you start harming or even killing your customers, that can't be very good for business, can it?
Paul Gray died of an overdose of Morphine and Fentanyl among other drugs.
Fentanyl is already some 100 times more potent than Morphine. There's just no way in hell any qualified doctor on this planet would prescribe Morphine AND Fentanyl. When you get to the Fentanyl, there's really no use for the Morphine.
True, doctors have enormous amount of responsability, but so do patients.
If you buy 3 bottles of Vodka, drink them all in one night and end up dead, what, is the beverage company to blame?
Member
While i do agree with the fact that Paul is truly the one at fault here, this man took an oath to medicine and shouldn't have taken advantage of his position as a doctor, therefore i don't think that he should get life in prison or the death sentence, but maybe 10-15 years, that would set a fair precedent that would discourage over-prescribing potentially harmful medication without thorough examination.
Member
seriously this is f***in stupid uhOoO somebody O.D. now sum1 has 2 go 2 jail 2 pay for it...i honestly could care less how this turns out all in all, i lost my respect for slipknot wayyy b4 paul died not 2 say they arent a good band but really what is there 2 gain out of this?!? isnt there a better way for slipknot 2 handle this besides say WE ARE GOIN 2 COOPERATE AND MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN...PAUL WAS A JUNKIE...JUNKIES DIE...we all do MOVE FORWARD with your lives//better them b4 it happens 2 the rest of your junkie band
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Member
What the hell is with all this sh!t happening 2 years after the fact? This, and the stuff that happened to Blythe. Don't get it.