Thursday 6th September 2012 by Michael Holder | Photos by WENN.com

Tags: Slipknot

A doctor has been charged with the manslaughter of Slipknot bassist Paul Gray and seven other people.

Dr Daniel Baldi allegedly overprescribed painkillers which led to the overdose of the bass player in 2010 and seven other people, according to the Des Moines Register.

The 50-year-old Iowa doctor pleaded not guilty to eight counts of involuntary manslaughter, and if he is convicted could face up to 16 years in prison.

Gray, who struggled with drug addiction, was found dead in a Des Moines hotel in May 2010.

Court documents allege that Dr Baldi "did unintentionally cause" Gray's death by giving "high-dose prescription narcotics to a known drug addict" starting in December 2005.

But Baldi's lawyer Guy Cook, said of the charges to the Des Moines Register: "It is unprecedented to turn unfortunate deaths or medical results into a crime against a doctor."

Gray was one of the founding members of metallers Slipknot in 1995, releasing four studio albums with the band.

The band's remaining members removed their masks to pay tribute to Gray, describing him as “an amazing person”.

Last week Slipknot drummer Shawn Crahan also spoke about his fear that guitarist Jim Root could have died on stage because of a recent burst appendix.

Below: Photo tribute to Slipknot's Paul Gray