Pursuing Holiness

It’s been a long time since I posted on the Hurricane Katrina “euthanasia deaths.” A recent comment on a Jena 6 post reminded me that an update would be timely. A quick recap if you’ve forgotten the story - in Katrina’s aftermath, a physician (Dr. Anna Pou) and two nurses were accused of deliberately killing patients who it was difficult to evacuate. In the beginning I leaned toward thinking they were guilty, although I wasn’t convinced of it. I wrote in February of the need to wait until more information came out.

Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti had Dr. Pou and two nurses arrested, and this is not the first time he’s gone after health professionals for euthanasia. The women were arrested in July, but never charged. The only evidence seems to be the testimony of four Lifecare administrators with something to gain. Other Lifecare staff members insist that the patients were not murdered. Foti has the right to arrest and charge the women, but if the case is going to be tried, it will be done by New Orleans’ DA Eddie Jordon, who refuses to discuss the case. The case is going to go to the Grand Jury, as it should. This is too important to sweep under the rug. And as I wrote in July:

[I]t’s important to remember that the facts are not all in. Ten years ago today a chain of events began which profoundly impacted Richard Jewell’s life. He was vilified, mocked, and speculated about by people all over the world, although he was never arrested or charged for the 1996 Olympic bombing and Eric Rudolph eventually plead guilty to the crime. It’s something to keep in mind when we leap to judgment based on reports in the media.

Upon further study, I came to believe that they were innocent for a variety of reasons, but I never posted on that because my conclusions were partly based on conversations I had with people knowledgeable about the details of the case, and without linkable supporting information, I just didn’t want to get into a he said/she said. In any event, charges were dropped against the nurses, and personal conversations aside, there was never much in the way of evidence against the doctor to begin with. It was primarily the testimony of four people with something to gain and remarkably consistent accounts. That’s why she was arrested, but never formally charged. I could understand the need to investigate; this was a serious situation. That’s been done, and Attorney General Foti hasn’t found anything he can prosecute or he would have charged Dr. Pou and brought her to trial.

Why do I write so confidently that Dr. Pou is innocent, citing no evidence whatsoever? Because she IS innocent until proven guilty. And Foti isn’t going to bring charges against her, try her, or prove her guilty. If he could, he would have. He’s prosecuted euthanasia cases before, and politically he has a lot to gain from a conviction here. He won’t charge her because he has no case. It is a travesty to leave this hanging over her head the way Richard Jewell was left to bear the speculation and the public shredding of his reputation for years. There will be a rally at City Park on Tuesday on the one-year anniversary of her arrest. If you’re in N’awlins, please try to attend and show support for the doctor.

written by Laura