Judge to Hear All 4 ‘Angel of Death’ Suits
A judge in Burbank on Friday took jurisdiction over all four wrongful death civil lawsuits pending against the self-proclaimed “Angel of Death” and his former employer, Glendale Adventist Medical Center, brought by families of Efren Saldivar’s alleged victims.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carl J. West ruled that the cases are related and determined that he should preside over all of them.
Earlier this month, Saldivar, 31, was charged with killing six patients with a muscle-relaxing drug between December 1996 and August 1997.
Only one of the civil suits involves a person whom Saldivar is charged with killing. A fifth civil case, also involving a patient Saldivar is not charged with killing, was dismissed Thursday for lack of evidence.
Meanwhile, in the downtown Criminal Courts Building, Saldivar’s arraignment on murder charges was postponed for a week, at which time Superior Court Judge Michael K. Kellogg will also consider a defense request to bar cameras from the courtroom.
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