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According to US state law, a murder that occurs as a result of someone's negligence towards human life is referred to as depraved heart murder. This means that the perpetrator is aware of the harm they are causing to the victim, either directly or indirectly, which could result in their death, but they typically do not intend to kill them.
The upcoming episode of 48 Hours, titled, Depraved Heart Murder, will air on CBS on October 5, 2024, at 9 pm EST. The official synopsis for the same reads:
"Sarah Harris, 25, was found unresponsive on the floor in the Maryland home she shared with her boyfriend, Dr. James Ryan. Authorities concluded that she died of an overdose from powerful drugs in her system. Ryan was later charged with second-degree depraved heart murder for her death. Here's what that means."
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Surgeon James Ryan was charged with depraved heart murder
As per reports by CBS, James Ryan, who was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend Sarah Harris, was sentenced to 45 years behind bars on January 2, 2023. Sarah Harris died because of a drug overdose on January 26, 2022. When the autopsy reports were out, it was discovered that Sarah had high amounts of Propofol and Ketamine in her system.
Soon, it was revealed by Sarah’s mother that before her death, her mother had found drug vials and medical paraphernalia in her room. From chats between Sarah Harris and Ryan, it was also understood that Ryan was the one supplying Sarah with the drugs. Allegedly, Ryan urged her to use drugs as a means to groom her and exert control over her. One instance of that chat also showed that James had injected Sarah with Ketamine while she was asleep.
With circumstantial evidence in the form of chats, pictures, and more, James was charged with depraved heart murder and drug distribution, as per reports by CBS.
State Attorney James Dietrich, cited an example of depraved heart murder, which is a subcategory of second-degree murder, and revealed to 48 hours that:
"If I take a gun and just randomly shoot it into a crowd, I may not necessarily want or care that anybody dies. But…that is such a grossly reckless act that someone's likely to die."
As James Ryan was a medical practitioner himself and knew the risks of anesthetics, he still gave Sarah easy access to them, which caused her death. It is to be noted that his intent to murder her was not proven. Hence, this qualified as a case of depraved heart murder.
James Ryan who was sentenced to 45 years in prison, did not plead guilty to the crime. During his trial he said the following in court:
"While I did not administer the drugs to Sarah, and I'm not exactly sure when she got them, those drugs were absolutely my responsibility. And I should have made sure that she never had access to them. I should have never thought I could control her addiction."
Watch the upcoming episode of 48 Hours titled Depraved Heart Murder on CBS to learn more about Sarah Harris's death and James Ryan's involvement in it.
