A Uruguay judge charges three nurses with multiple counts of homicide after the deaths of 16 patients in two hospitals.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUDGE ROLANDO VOMERO, SAYING:

"I ordered the trial of three people, one of them on five charges of especially aggravated homicide, another one was ordered trial and also prison for eleven counts of homicide and one woman for complicity in a crime of especially aggravated homicide."

Two of the nurses are suspected of killing patients with poison or putting air in their intravenous lines, while the third is charged with covering up the crimes.

The defence says the nurses' actions were those of mercy and not murder.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) INES MASSIOTTI, ATTORNEY FOR ACCUSED NURSE

"My client is conscious of his actions. He fully confessed in front of the judge, prosecutor and his defence is that he did it out of mercy."

Uruguayan authorities say the patients were seriously, but not terminally ill at the time of their deaths and that the nurses acted alone.

The judge trying the case in Montevideo said the investigation is ongoing and could reveal further killings.

Jessica Gray, Reuters