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Hospital staff accused of killing patients after Katrina struck<br><br>· Doctor and two nurses charged with murder<br>· Hurricane survivors 'given lethal morphine doses'<br><br>Oliver Burkeman in New York<br>Wednesday July 19, 2006<br>The Guardian<br><br>A doctor and two nurses have been charged with deliberately killing patients stranded in a New Orleans hospital after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city.<br><br>Cut off by the floodwaters, lacking food, water and electricity, and enduring temperatures approaching 38C (100F), staff at the New Orleans Memorial Medical Centre ended the lives of several patients, the Louisiana attorney general's office said.<br><br>"We're not calling this euthanasia. We're not calling this mercy killings. This is second-degree murder," Kris Wartelle, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, Charles Foti, told reporters.<br><br>Article continues<br>The arrest warrants say the three intentionally killed four patients at the hospital "by administering or causing to be administered lethal doses of morphine sulphate [morphine] and midazolam".<br><br>Mr Foti was expected to reveal details of the case against Dr Anna Pou and nurses Lori Budo and Cheri Landry, including how many of the 45 people who died at the hospital they are suspected of killing.<br><br>The three women, who were arrested on Monday night then released pending trial, were expected to make a preliminary court appearance later yesterday.<br><br>In the aftermath of the Katrina crisis, Dr Pou told a Louisiana television station that some patients were under "do not resuscitate" orders made prior to the hurricane.<br><br>"In other words ... to allow them to die naturally and not to use any heroic methods to resuscitate them," she said. "We all did everything in our power to give the best treatment we could to the patients in the hospital, to make them comfortable."<br><br>The investigation into deaths at the hospital gathered pace in October 2005 when Bryant King, a doctor working there during the hurricane, told CNN he had heard another doctor talk of putting patients "out of their misery". He had seen Dr Pou holding a handful of syringes later that day, he said. But in a statement made at the time Dr Pou's lawyer, Rick Simmons, painted a picture of medical staff working "tirelessly for five days to save and evacuate patients, none of whom were abandoned" despite lack of water, high temperatures, flooding, absence of essential equipment, and "an environment of deteriorating security, apparent social unrest, and the absence of governmental authority".<br><br>Dr Pou's mother, Jeanette Pou, said yesterday that she was distressed by the treatment of her daughter. "Medicine was the most important thing in her life and I know she never ever did anything deliberately to hurt anyone," she told AP.<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/story/0,,1823883,00.html">www.guardian.co.uk/katrin...83,00.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <p></p><i></i>

That's a pretty tough call, but I'm not morally convinced they didn't do the right thing. If I had family there that was enduring prolonged suffering, I don't think I would fault them for what they did. <p>____________________<br>Oderint, dum metuant</p><i></i>

I agree with you Arcadia, though I am not personally a euthanasia fan. Why don't they arrest FEMA and others who PREVENTED the delivery of aid and relief to the victims. This was NOT a natural disaster. It was deliberate incompetence and criminal negligence and we could read <br>about it it extensively and even saw it on tv. Hell, Cuba could face similar storms and not suffer one death. Now they are spending tax payer dollars going after these exhausted and possibly heroic hospital staff who may have made poor decisions as they worked around the clock in unimaginable horror. Just keep on blaming the victims, BUSHCO!! You're doing a heck of a job. <p></p><i></i>

I can't argue with Arc and dark but doctors running wild with needles puts the willies up me. Makes me wonder if someone's setting a baseline re euthanasia laws? <p></p><i></i>

How quickly does morality fly out the door in chaos. <p></p><i></i>

Judge not lest ye be judged.<br><br>It doesn't sound like morality was abandoned in the midst of chaos, it sounds like the only thing that was left intact. If you want to discuss someone worthy of all possible contempt, there's more deserving out there of your attentions:<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4847851">www.npr.org/templates/sto...Id=4847851</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>The owners of a nursing home in which several patients died after they were not evacuated during Hurricane Katrina are facing negligent-homicide charges. Aid workers found 34 bodies in St. Rita's, the St. Bernard Parish facility. Robert Siegel talks with Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>Sharpen your axes for the worthy.. <p>____________________<br>Oderint, dum metuant</p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Sharpen your axes for the worthy..<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>Word!<br><br>I don't know what I'd do if I had to watch scores of elderly, sick people suffering around me, with no chance of help.<br><br>Save your righteous indignation for those who left them all to die. <p></p><i></i>