Surgeon Acquitted: Jury Finds Dr Paul Taiganides Not Guilty Of Manslaughter

By Alric Lindsay

Former Health Services Authority (HSA) surgeon Dr Paul Anthony Taiganides was unanimously acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter today, October 2, 2026, following a high-stakes medical trial that has gripped the Cayman Islands. The jury panel returned a unanimous not guilty verdict, completely vindicating the veteran clinician after a grueling legal battle over the tragic January 21, 2024 death of 29-year-old gunshot victim Travis Alexander Derron Ebanks.

The decision brings a dramatic close to a case that threatened to set a highly controversial precedent for the criminal liability of emergency medical professionals operating under crisis conditions.

The Verdict Breakdown

The prosecution, led by Richard Matthews KC, had aggressively pursued Dr Taiganides, alleging a “sustained” and “exceptionally bad” failure to recognize that an emergency breathing tube had been misplaced in Ebanks’ esophagus (food pipe) instead of his trachea (windpipe). The Crown argued that this error directly caused fatal hypoxia, effectively suffocating the patient from the inside out.

Based on the verdict, the jury ultimately rejected the prosecution’s narrative, heavily favouring the comprehensive medical data and timeline presented by defense counsel Ben Tonner KC.

Key factors in the acquittal included medical records showing a 90% oxygen spike post-intubation, expert testimony on the potential accidental dislodgement of the tube during an X-ray maneuver, and evidence of the victim’s severe pre-hospital condition.

The defence highlighted challenging trauma room conditions, including blood bank issues and the absence of an anesthesiologist, while closing arguments cautioned against hindsight bias and successfully challenged the reliability of certain police witness accounts via CCTV footage. Dr Taiganides leaves the court without criminal liability, marking a notable decision regarding high-pressure medical interventions.