Asante Drug Diversion Arrest Could See More Victims Coming Forward

By Diane Megaw On Jun 19, 2024

MEDFORD, Ore. — Following the arrest and grand jury indictment on 44 counts of felony assault of former nurse, Dani Marie Schofield, lawyers have indicated that there could be more victims, specifically patients whose stay at Asante fell outside the timeline investigated by the Medford Police Department (MPD).

Felony Assault Charges Against Former Asante Nurse

Schofield is suspected of replacing liquid fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, with non-sterile tap water for patients under her care, Medford police said this caused dozens of potentially deadly bloodstream infections. MPD Chief, Justin Ivens, said 16 of the 44 patients named in the indictment died but Schofield was only charged with Assault in the 2nd Degree because the link between the infections and the deaths could not be proven.

The prosecution team of the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, Chief Deputy District Attorney Patrick Green,

Senior Deputy District Attorney Alyssa Claseman, and Senior Deputy District Attorney Mike Cohen, presented evidence from 21 witnesses to the Grand Jury on June 12 that led to an 8-hour deliberation session before Schofield was indicted. She later pleaded not guilty and the matter will go to trial.

Schofield pleaded not guilty to the felony assault charges. Under Oregon’s Measure 11, each count carries a minimum sentence of 70 months if convicted.

Asante Drug Diversion Victim Numbers Could Exceed 44 Victims Included In Criminal Charge

The grand jury indictment in the criminal case against Schofield relates to infections that occurred between July 2022 and July 2023. A lawyer who specializes in civil suits said other victims could fall outside of that timeframe.

Attorney Shayla Steyart from Medford-based Shlesinger & deVilleneuve indicated that the firm is looking into about a dozen cases of victims where incidents happened either before or after the period which the MPD focused on.

Awaiting answers to what criteria the hospital and detectives used to determine victims, the firm hasn’t filed lawsuits yet. Of the one-year timeline she said, ” To play devil’s advocate, how do you know?”

In another wrongful death complaint, the death of Horace Wilson, the victim died five months before the timeline. Court documents indicate Wilson was admitted to Asante in January 2022 after an injury from a fall, where Schofield was recorded giving fentanyl to the victim through infusion.

After his blood cultures tested positive for bacteria, Wilson’s health deteriorated quickly and he died the following month. Yet he is not one of the alleged 44 victims named in the indictment against Schofield.

Asante’s spokesperson declined to comment on whether the number of potential victims in the case could be greater than those listed in the indictment.