73 Subpoenaed in Louisiana hospital deaths

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti Jr. has issued 73 subpoenas in an investigation into allegations that euthanasia may have taken place at one of the hospitals flooded by Hurricane Katrina.

Subpoenas were served on employees of all levels at Memorial Medical Center -- a hospital owned by Tenet Healthcare -- because "cooperation, lately, has not been as good as I had hoped," Foti said.

Tenet Healthcare seem to be trying to protect themselves, while the Attorney General's office tries to get the facts what exactly happened at the hospital in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, leading to the deaths of 45 patients.

"We have asked for certain records from Tenet 15 days ago, and we have yet to receive them," Foti said. "We have also asked for the location and address of every employee working at the hospital at the time of the hurricane, and they have not provided that either."

Staff members of Memorial Medical Center began repeating discussions about euthanizing patients they thought might not survive, according to a doctor and a nurse who were in the hospital when Hurricane Katrina came ashore August 29.

The Attorney General has asked that autopsies be performed on all 45 bodies taken from the hospital.