FATAL OVERDOSE Los Angeles County prosecutors have charged an anesthesiologist with murder in the overdose death of 71-year-old orthopedic surgeon Mark Greenspan, MD.

A Beverly Hills anesthesiologist was under the influence of drugs he'd injected himself with when he administered a lethal dose of Demerol to a patient at the Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery Center, prosecutors said in announcing murder charges yesterday against Stephen Kyosung Kim, MD.

The patient was 71-year-old orthopedic surgeon, Mark Greenspan, MD. Dr. Kim allegedly injected himself with an unknown drug during the Sept. 26 surgery and then gave Dr. Greenspan a lethal dose of Demerol while the patient was in a recovery room, according to a release from the Los Angeles County district attorney's office. Soon after receiving the dose of Demerol, Dr. Greenspan went into cardiac arrest and died.

Beverly Hills police declined to identify the drug Dr. Kim injected himself with, but said detectives determined that he was under the influence of narcotics at the time of surgery.

Dr. Kim pleaded not guilty to a single count of murder at his arraignment yesterday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and remains free on bail. Beverly Hills police arrested Dr. Kim on Wednesday. If convicted, Dr. Kim could face 25 years to life in prison, according to prosecutors. His next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 25.

Dan O'Connor