FUSE TV - Late Slipknot Bassist Paul Gray's Doctor Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter

Slipknot bassist/songwriter Paul Gray was found dead of an accidental morphine overdose at age 38 in May 2010. Now, more than two years later, Gray's doctor is facing eight charges of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly prescribing unsafe amounts of pain killers to patients who died of overdoses.

Documents released on Wednesday allege Gray's doctor, Daniel Baldi, "Did unintentionally cause the death of Paul Gray by the commission of an act likely to cause death or serious injury." In Gray's case, this meant writing "high-dose prescription narcotics to a known drug addict from 12/27/2005 until his death." Baldi faces seven similar charges for other patients at his Iowa clinic, which closed without explanation in June. The Des Moines doctor was suspended from his job earlier this year by Iowa health officials.

Gray's widow and bandmate Shawn "Clown" Crahan are two of the nine people listed in the complaint filed in district court, according to the Des Moines Register. "None of it is going to bring back our brother Paul," Crahan said. "Hopefully justice will be served."

The defense lawyer for Baldi noted that five of the eight people Baldi faces involuntary manslaughter charges for were drugs addicts. "Unexpected deaths can occur in severe, chronic pain patients, unrelated to medical treatment," the lawyer said. "This is especially true with patients who are drug addicts or drug abusers." Baldi is pleading not guilty and was released Wednesday on $16,000 bail.

When Fuse recently spoke with frontman Corey Taylor, he said Slipknot still isn't "prepared for [making] an album without Paul Gray. It's going to be a very daunting day when we have to go into the studio without him because he was such a huge part of the process. He was the glue."