Nurse's Attorney: Bleach Used Often in Clinic

Former nurse faces the death penalty if convicted

The attorney of an East Texas dialysis nurse on trial for murder says she was spotted drawing bleach into a syringe to measure it for cleaning water, not to hurt patients.

Kimberly Saenz is charged with killing five patients in Lufkin by injecting bleach into their dialysis lines. Attorney Ryan Deaton has challenged the testimony of two patients who say they saw Saenz fill a syringe with bleach.

Deaton said they misunderstood what she was doing.

Deaton on Thursday asked a former co-worker of Saenz's whether someone had once suggested using a syringe to measure bleach. The co-worker, Yazmin Santana, says a supervisor immediately shot that idea down.

Saenz could get the death penalty if convicted. The trial enters its fifth day Friday.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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