I'd like to make several observations (RN for 17 years):
1. Our ED's are over-crowded because of several reasons; illegals using them for primary care, those without a PCP using them for primary care, people INAPPROPRIATELY using ED's for non-emergent non-traumatic problems (sore throat, cold, sinus infection), and lack of financial motive for those on Medicaid to use the PCP office rather than the ED(while an HMO patient gets whacked a $75-100 copay or more, Medicaid patients don't; who do you think is more likely to visit an ED?).
2. We don't know the facts here, although it does appear that the staff were negligent. We only know what we are told; did the patient truly come in c/o chest pain and SOB? Everything is not always as it seems; I've seen it happen several times during my career.
3. I'm no lawyer, but I doubt that this is homicide; manslaughter maybe, but not intentional murder.
Finally, as an ED nurse, you'll appreciate this one: I once worked with a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician; her pet peeve was when you called it an "Emergency ROOM"; "it's a department, not a room".
Perhaps, though ER brings to mind the proper image; ED brings to mind something else.