Crime & Safety

Doctor Charged With Murder in Joey Rovero Case Will Stand Trial

April Rovero, the mother of Joey Rovero of San Ramon, was in court every day during the preliminary hearing.

The Southern California doctor who is suspected of prescribing prescription drugs to three young men who died, including San Ramon's Joey Rovero, was ordered to stand trial in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

Hsiu-Ying "Lisa" Tseng is for recklessly prescribing drugs that led to three deaths. She has plead not guilty

April Rovero, Joey's mother, was in court every day of the three-week preliminary hearing where Tseng was portrayed has being the go-to doctor for people seeking drugs.

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Since her 21-year-old son's death, Rovero has raised awareness of the dangers of prescription drugs with her organization the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse.

"I truly believe my son would be alive today if he was aware of the risks," Rovero said to the . "He wasn't a big risk taker. He just didn't know."

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In December 2009, Rovero's son Joey, a graduate, died while attending Arizona State when he took a fatal cocktail of prescription drugs.

In the preliminary hearing, the Assiociated Press reported:

Authorities allege that Tseng, who operated a storefront medical clinic with her husband in suburban Rowland Heights, wrote more than 27,000 prescriptions over a three-year period.

The judge called the amounts "astounding."Tseng has pleaded not guilty to 24 felony counts and could face 45 years to life in prison if convicted on all charges.

The judge denied a defense request to have Tseng's bail lowered from $3 million to $1 million.

The deaths of Vu Nguyen and Steven Ogle also were charged in the case.

The judge set Tseng's next court appearance for July 10.


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