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A local nurse accused of diluting a dying, elderly patient’s morphine now wants to plead guilty in her ongoing federal case, according to court records.
The defense attorney for L. Perrin, 47, of Haverhill, has requested a hearing in federal court in Boston for Perrin “to change her plea,” according to court records.
Perrin previously entered a plea of not guilty after she was charged March 12 with one count of tampering with morphine, which is widely used for pain relief in terminally ill patients.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The crimes occurred while Perrin worked at an Amesbury care and rehab facility, according to documents.
Her defense attorney, Mark McNally of Andover, on May 6 requested a Rule 11 hearing, which allows a defendant to change a plea in a case.
McNally listed a variety of available dates in late May and early June although the hearing has yet to be scheduled, according to federal court records.
Perrin was charged March 12 and later barred by a federal judge from “seeking employment in the medical field,” although her nursing license was still active with the state.
She was released on a $10,000 bond with a variety of pre-trial conditions after her initial appearance at U.S. District Court in Boston.
Perrin was ordered not to consume alcohol “excessively,” not to use any narcotics or controlled substances, and to undergo drug testing as directed, according to court documents.
She also must report any contact with law enforcement to federal probation immediately, surrender her passport, not to move without permission, and not to obtain any firearms or weapons, according to court records.
Perrin is accused of diluting an 88-year-old hospice patient’s morphine down to between 19 percent and 29 percent of the prescribed dosage, according to federal court documents.
While working at the Maplewood Care and Rehabilitation Center in Amesbury, Perrin tampered with three bottles of morphine sulfate prescribed to the hospice patient, according to the federal allegations.
She worked at Maplewood from March 18, 2015, until Jan. 4, 2018, according to records.
The patient Perrin cared for “was diagnosed with dementia, frequent seizures, a leg fracture and shingles, a painful viral infection,” according to court papers.
The woman was prescribed 5 mg of morphine sulfate to be administered three times daily, according to the records.
From Nov. 5, 2017 until Nov. 26, 2017, Perrin is accused of “tampered with three vials” of the woman’s morphine doses.
Perrin “diluted Victim (one’s) morphine sulfate by removing morphine sulfate and replacing the removed liquid with another solution,” according to a document outlining “general allegations” in the case.
“The diluted vials contained only approximately 19 percent to 29 percent of the declared concentration of morphine sulfate. Until her death on Nov. 26, 2017, Victim (one) repeatedly received doses of the diluted morphine,” according to the documents.
The court documents do not specify what kind of liquid Perrin is accused of using to dilute the morphine doses.