Dani Mari Schofield is facing 44 counts of felony assault for alleged drug diversion at Medford hospital; civil cases involving Asante have been filed
By Buffy Pollock, Rogue Valley Times
A criminal trial against former Asante nurse Dani Marie Schofield, who faces 44 felony counts of second-degree assault against hospital patients, has been delayed for a third time.
Schofield, who faces the criminal charges related to her alleged swapping of prescription pain medication with non-sterile tap water during employment with Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, was set to attend a pre-trial conference on Monday.
A pre-trial hearing in the case is now set for 10:30 a.m. Feb. 10, 2025, in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Schofield’s attorneys, who have also filed multiple requests for a change of judge in the case, were originally set for a July 20 pre-trial conference.
That was continued, first, to Sept. 9, and later to Dec. 30.
In the latest motion to continue, filed Dec. 19, Schofield’s attorneys said the continuance was warranted “on the grounds and for the reason counsel are not prepared to schedule a trial in this matter due to the amount of discovery and the number of experts needed.”
Jackson County Deputy District Attorney Patrick Green, who was not immediately available for comment, did not object to the motion, according to court documents. The motion to continue was signed by Circuit Court Judge Jeremy Markiewicz.
A Medford police investigation related to patient injury first made headlines last December, with victims and victims’ families notified by hospital officials that a nurse had allegedly diverted prescription fentanyl for tap water, causing infection in patients.
Police first publicly named Schofield when they arrested her June 13 following a seven-month investigation, as reported by the Rogue Valley Times.
During a press conference following Schofield’s arrest, Medford police announced that Schofield’s indictment named 44 patients as victims of the alleged drug swapping. The patients had been treated in the intensive care unit at the Medford hospital, and 16 of them died.
Schofield pleaded not guilty during her arraignment before Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Laura Cromwell a day following her arrest, June 14.
Scofield spent just one week in jail before posting a $400,000 bond — 10% of her $4 million bail.
Beyond the criminal case against Schofield, civil cases have continued to amass, filed by law offices in various parts of the state. The first civil case filed against the former nurse was filed in February by Idiart Law Group in Central Point, relating to the death of Horace “Buddy” Wilson, and named Schofield prior to her arrest.
Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Bloom issued a stay in September in the civil case, citing potential impacts to Schofield’s Fifth Amendment rights due to the ongoing criminal case.
Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or bpollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
