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Ex-Rowland Heights Doctor Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A doctor convicted of murder for prescribing exorbitant amounts of painkillers that left three patients dead has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.

Dr. Hsiu-Ying "Lisa" Tseng was sentenced Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Her second-degree murder conviction in October is rare for a doctor. It came after a dozen of her patients died.

She was only charged with three killings because other factors were involved in some of those deaths, such as drugs prescribed by other doctors and one possible suicide.

Tseng's lawyer said the doctor had been naive to prescribe so many medications and didn't think her patients would abuse them.

Prosecutors say she prescribed medication to people who didn't need it and ignored signs they were overdosing.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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