Raw Story: Doc and Nurses Charged with Murder in NO

[leftyladyfrommo]

I guess the charge is that they actually euthanized patients because they couldn't help them.

Man, that would be a hard one. Old people left to die because there was no help vs. euthanizing them so they wouldn't suffer. About 45 people were found dead at a hospital. I remember this story from right after the hurrican but then didn't hear any more on it. Now I wish it hadn't come up again.

Too sad.

See this on www.rawstory.com

[BOSSHOG]

1. I hope their Jury

is composed of their "peers", people who were trapped in medical facilities in New Orleans in a god awful hot summer, with no electricity, and with shots being fired near their building and beds full of patients, many of whom were hooked up to machines (remember no electricity) and flood waters pouring into the building. And I think it only fair that if this case goes forward, the families of the patients ought to be charged as well. This is bullshit.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. They should be charging FEMA. Not the doctors who were

left trying to deal with the nightmare.

[helderheid]

4. AMEN

[BOSSHOG]

5. We were in

southwest Mississippi with no electricity after the hurricane. We had a battery operated radio and I listened to a very fine radio station from New Orleans broadcasting everything they could. New Orleans was HELL the weeks after the hurricane and the folks in hospitals were heroes not felons. This is a fucking waste of court time. If medical professionals are culpable in this incident so are the family members.

[KittyWampus]

10. Bosshog, may I suggest that hospital administrators are also perhaps

culpable. Evacuation plans should have existed and been executed. They weren't.

[knitter4democracy]

12. They sure left them all to die.

Where were the evac plans? Why were medical professionals left for days without any adequate provisions with extremely ill patients? Where were the plans and why weren't they followed? The nurses and doctors could have left--but they didn't. They are the heroes.

[Ganja Ninja]

6. Exactly! and maybe this will be a good thing.

Maybe the trial will remind people of just who put these people in the position they were in. Maybe heckofajob Drownie will have to testify about what plans he had for getting help to the people and how soon that help could have arrived.

[Cleita]

3. I heard that on the news today.

It was because of the lack of response. They waited four days for a rescue that never came while 32 patients died? The real culprits are Tenet Healthcare Corporation (who allowed a homeless man to die on the lawn outside the hospital because he was refused service for his lack of insurance in another incident.), Brownie and Bozo the Bush.

[waiting for hope]

7. Here's some more on that...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1662366

[knitter4democracy]

8. Oh. My. God.

Those doctors made the only decision they could. Charged with murder?! They charged the wrong people--they tried to save as many as they could and did the most humane treatment they could, given the horrific situation.

Where do we donate to their defense fund? I'm sending a check.

[rocktivity]

9. If they're murderers, then Brownie is an accessory after the fact.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Psychmd]

11. Not everyone stayed

These health care providers were the ones that waited out "the storm" because of a sense of duty to others/the sick. Others left town. These doctors and nurses worked 24/7 to save as many as they could. The "wealthy" hospital across the street was evacuated promptly. This "poor" hospital was left on it's own by all. I commend these people for sticking it out and doing the best they could.

[patdem]

13. Maybe if they have good lawyers THEIR trial will become FEMA'S

trial...and bush's trial...Let's hope they have GOOD lawyers! Maybe the ACLU?