A physician received a 32-year prison sentence Friday after pleading no contest to four charges related to the shooting of a former colleague from New York City-based Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, according to a report from the New Haven Register.
The 51-year-old physician, Lishan Wang, MD, agreed to plea no contest to charges of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm, attempted first-degree assault and two counts of carrying a pistol without a permit, according to the report. His charge of first-degree manslaughter was reduced from a murder charge due to "extreme emotional disturbance," according to the report.
Dr. Wang has been in custody for seven years, since fatally shooting his former colleague Vajinder Toor, MD. He also fired at Dr. Toor's wife, but missed. While fleeing the scene, Dr. Wang was stopped and detained at gunpoint, according to the report. He had two loaded ammunition clips on him, in addition to a number of weapons in his van, including three handguns 1,000 rounds of ammunition and a knife, according to the report.
Dr. Wang pleaded no contest so a guilty plea could not be used against him in lawsuits he has filed regarding the incident, according to the report. Dr. Wang claimed he was fired from Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center because of Dr. Toor, according to the report.
Coverage from the New Haven Register in 2010 indicates Dr. Toor accused Dr. Wang of leaving the Kingsbrook Jewish intensive care unit for several hours, while ignoring calls and pages from staff. Dr. Wang claims Dr. Toor reprimanded him in front of staff. Dr. Toor also accused Dr. Wang of threatening his safety, according to the report. Dr. Wang filed a discrimination lawsuit against Kingsbrook Jewish after he was suspended with pay and subsequently fired, according to the report.
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