Mazonnakis case: Nurse contradictions, singer's message and plasmapheresis minute-by-minute
New evidence from ERT regarding the death of Giorgos Mazonnakis: the 56-year-old nurse changed her statement before an investigating magistrate, revealing a "line" that was given by the doctor.
Nurse retracts statement – Mazonnakis's message one day before his death
According to ERT, the 56-year-old nurse who gave testimony about the events at the clinic where Giorgos Mazonnakis died is said to have significantly altered her original statement to police once she was examined before an investigating magistrate.
The nurse described the singer's collapse, referred to a search for an antidote to revive him, as well as instructions which, according to her claims, were given to staff regarding what they should report to the authorities.
The doctor's "line" and the time of arrival
One of the key points in the new statement concerns the time Mazonnakis arrived at the clinic. The nurse admitted that in her first statement she mentioned 15:30 because "that was the line the doctor gave us". However, she clarified that she herself arrived at the clinic at 15:00 and did not know the exact time the singer had arrived, as he was already inside when she got there.
She stated that until 16:00 everything ran smoothly. Afterwards, according to her testimony, two telephone calls were made: the first with an anaesthetist between 16:00 and 16:10, and the second immediately after with the supplier of the defibrillator that the clinic had.
During the second call the question was raised why the defibrillator was not working. The answer they are said to have received was that the device should have been charged.
Illegal equipment and blind obedience to orders
During examination by the investigating magistrate, the nurse was also questioned about the plasmapheresis machines. She stated that she did not know the equipment was illegal: "I had no idea the machines were illegal. How can I know if something is lawful or not?"
She added that the doctor was the one who always gave the instructions and that the staff believed everything was being done within the bounds of legality.
On behalf of Mazonnakis's family, lawyer Lykoudis characterised the nurse's statement as false.
Mazonnakis's message on the eve of plasmapheresis
Particular weight in the case is carried by a message that Giorgos Mazonnakis is said to have sent to the detained doctor one day before his death. In this message he expresses confusion about the cost of treatment and reservations about whether he would actually go ahead.
"Dear me, at the time we spoke there was some rushing about and I didn't understand what it is I need to pay, six or three thousand. So I need to talk about what and how, but I will come if it's for hydrotherapy, in any case I'm not in a position to give such amounts," it stated according to the information presented by ERT.
This communication is said to be confirmed by the hypnotherapist involved in the case: "I know that the doctor is in communication with Giorgos Mazonnakis and they agree on the money and the treatments."
The hypnotherapist and the manager who insisted
The hypnotherapist testified that a well-known manager of Mazonnakis contacted him on 27 August at 11:02 in the morning and asked him to take on the singer for hypnotherapy. He initially refused, citing the patient's history at Dromokaitio hospital, but the manager insisted.
On 2 September, at around one in the afternoon, she contacted him again to book an appointment. The appointment was initially set for Tuesday 8 September, but it was changed and ultimately took place on Monday 7 September at 17:00, at a restaurant in Psychiko.
Photographs as evidence: plasmapheresis minute by minute
Photographs obtained by ERT document the plasmapheresis procedure with second-by-second accuracy. According to this evidence, the medical procedure began at 14:14:42.
From 14:25:32 to 14:26:32 alarms were recorded as the venous pressure exceeded the maximum permitted limit. Each alarm was followed by a validation operation, whilst the charts show a gradual increase in values.
The first pause in the treatment was noted at 15:22:54. Three more alarms followed and at 15:46 the plasmapheresis continued. At 16:28:17 the return of blood was recorded, whilst the venous pressure appeared to be increasing continuously.
Request to lift confidentiality of communications
The 32nd regular investigating magistrate handling the case has requested from the Court of Misdemeanours the lifting of confidentiality of communications of the persons involved. The police spokesperson, Konstantia Dimoglidi, stated that access to the content of calls is not possible, but that other information from the communications can be utilised by the authorities as part of the investigation.
Source: ERT