CRIME & COURTS

Slipknot widow's lawsuit against doctor is dismissed

Tony Leys
tleys@dmreg.com
Brenna Gray testifies about her late husband's addictions during last spring's involuntary manslaughter trial of his former doctor, Daniel Baldi. Baldi was acquitted of seven criminal charges.

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that the widow of Slipknot bassist Paul Gray filed against his former doctor.

Polk County District Judge Dennis Stovall ruled this week that Brenna Gray waited too long before filing the lawsuit against Dr. Daniel Baldi. Paul Gray died after overdosing on drugs in an Urbandale hotel on July 22, 2010. Brenna Gray filed her suit on Feb. 14, 2014. Plaintiffs have up to two years to file such lawsuits, Stovall ruled.

Brenna Gray's lawyer, Bruce Stoltze, argued that the statute of limitations shouldn't have started until Gray had reason to believe Baldi caused her husband's death. But the judge disagreed and dismissed the suit.

Paul Gray, 38, was a co-founder of Slipknot, a world-famous heavy-metal band whose roots are in Des Moines.

Paul Gray

Baldi, who was a prominent pain-relief doctor in Des Moines, was acquitted in May of seven criminal counts of involuntary manslaughter. Gray's death was included in the trial, and his widow tearfully testified about his long history of drug abuse. Brenna Gray blamed Baldi for allegedly failing to help her husband overcome his addictions, including to the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.

Baldi has steadfastly denied wrongdoing. During the doctor's criminal trial, defense lawyer Guy Cook argued successfully that no drugs Baldi had prescribed were in Paul Gray's system when the musician died. Cook presented expert witnesses who said heart disease likely contributed to Gray's death. The experts also testified that Gray apparently overdosed on street heroin and fentanyl, a pharmaceutical painkiller for which he had no prescription.

Brenna Gray's lawsuit included the couple's daughter, October, who was not born yet when Paul Gray died. Brenna Gray's lawyer argued that as a minor, October should have until her 10th birthday to file suit. The judge disagreed, writing that because the child wasn't born at the time of her father's death, the responsibility to file a timely lawsuit fell on Brenna Gray.

Lawyers for Brenna Gray and Baldi could not immediately be reached for comment about the judge's ruling dismissing the lawsuit.

Baldi still faces several other lawsuits, including from survivors of some of the former patients whose deaths were central to the criminal trial. He also faces potential action from the Iowa Board of Medicine, which could suspend or revoke his medical license. Baldi has agreed not to practice medicine while his case before the licensing board is pending.