OHIO — A jury found a former Columbus-area doctor accused of killing 14 people by ordering excessive doses of fentanyl not guilty Wednesday morning. 

William Husel faced 14 counts of murder, which alleged he used the excessive doses on purpose to speed up the deaths of patients.

After Judge Michael Holbrook read each not guilty verdict, Husel and his attorney hugged each other, and then he left the room. 

Allegations surfaced in late 2018, accusing Husel of administering excessive doses of fentanyl to Mount Carmel intensive care unit patients between 2015 and 2018. Mount Carmel confirmed it received a report in late October 2018 related to the allegations, and the hospital removed Husel a month later. He was officially fired in December 2018. 

Fentanyl is an opioid that doctors use to treat patients with severe pain, and if warranted, after surgery. 

The trial began in February, nearly three and half years after allegations surfaced. 

In October 2020, Husel's defense team filed to have murder charges against him thrown out, which a judge then denied in December 2021. 

Prosecutors contended the amount of painkillers Husel ordered for nonsurgical situations indicated an intent to end lives and that regardless of how close a patient is to death, it was illegal to speed up the process.

Husel’s attorneys argued he was providing comfort care for dying patients, not trying to kill them.

Jurors heard from 53 prosecution witnesses, including medical experts, Mount Carmel employees, investigators and family members of all 14 patients. They then deliberated over the last seven days.