France, Sept. 8 -- The trial of a French anaesthetist accused of intentionally poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died, begins on Monday after a seven-year investigation. The accused is alleged to have wanted to show off his resuscitation skills and discredit co-workers.

Frederic Pechier,53, worked as an anaesthetist at two private clinics in the eastern French city of Besancon, where several patients went into cardiac arrest in suspicious circumstances between 2008 to 2017. Twelve could not be resuscitated.

His youngest alleged victim, four-year-old Teddy, survived two cardiac arrests during a routine tonsil surgery in 2016. The doctor's oldest alleged victim was 89.

The trial, held in Besancon and expected to last until December, come...