Posted on 07/18/2006 5:42:27 AM PDT by Ellesu
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- A doctor and two nurses were charged with second-degree murder Tuesday after Louisiana's attorney general launched an extensive investigation to uncover whether hospital staff euthanized some patients after Hurricane Katrina hit, a source close to the case told CNN.
Late Monday, Dr. Anna Pou, Lori L. Budo and Cheri Landry were arrested in connection with the alleged deliberate deaths of some patients at New Orleans Memorial Medical Center after Hurricane Katrina hit, a source close to the investigation told CNN.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
I am sorry to hear this. I'm sure they did what they thought was best for all at the time. No way they are "murderers,"
They sure are murderers, and I hope they die in prison.
Did they intentionally take the life of a human being other than in self defense?
"First do no harm" isn't that the most important part of the Hippocratic Oath. They committed murder, no matter what their intentions were. Who were they to say who should live and who should die?
Scary words.
The fog of war
Since when is killing those in your protection the "best" for all? The best for who? The doctor and nurses? Convict them and throw away the key!
Yea, they should have just let them die a painful and lingering death in the crisis.
Plus, their actions look downright cowardly when compared to the efforts undertaken at Mercy and Tulane hospitals.
That being said, perhaps manslaughter is a better charge here? It appears to me the decision(s) were made in the midst of a panic.
I'm not going to pile on here because I think you made your statement sincerely. However, contrast this with the earlier article posted on FreeRepublic in which the AMA recommended that physicians not even be involved in the execution of criminals slated for the death penalty. There is no role for a physician in mercy killings. I post this to you as a physician.
"I'm sure they did what they thought was best for all at the time."
No they didn't. They're murderers.
Indeed.
I would never want to face that. Remember the movie Pearl Harbor when they ran out of Morphine to give the dying. It's all very frightening. They certainly should have given these people medication to ease any pain but not kill.
I remember hearing the story that in a Nazi concentration camp the doctor experimenter Mengela had bound the breasts of nursing mothers to see the infants die of starvation.
There was a doctor in the group who had hidden Morphine and gave it to the baby so the baby would die a peaceful death.
Horrible stories.
Mr Physician, how many orders for terminally ill patients have you given knowing that they might cause premature death?
Tulane hired a private helicopter company to get the people out.
None.
Then you must deny pain meds to your terminally ill patients that cause respiratory depression.
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