9-Year Term in Slaying Attempt

A registered nurse who tried to kill an AIDS patient by prescribing insulin was sentenced today to nine years in state prison. Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Laurence J. Rittenband imposed the sentence on Hal Rachman, 42, who had pleaded no contest to attempted murder and five counts of forgery in prescribing insulin for Edward Lebowitz, 49.

A man pretending to be a doctor telephoned St. John’s Hospital and Health Center last Sept. 20 and ordered an insulin injection for Lebowitz. The patient slipped into a coma but was revived. He died four days later. Rachman was arrested after he allegedly withdrew about $32,000 from Lebowitz’s bank account. Rachman had been sent by a nursing registry to care for Lebowitz three days before the insulin was prescribed.