Yesterday, the Orleans Parish grand jury made the right decision in refusing to indict Dr. Anna Pou, who was accused of murdering four patients at MemorialMedicalCenter in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, Dr. Pou has had to endure 23 months of questions, unwanted attention and attacks on her personal and professional reputation. Being accused of murder by the Attorney General of Louisiana is no picnic and neither is being arrested and jailed in the middle of the night by a publicity seeking politician.
The real villain in this horrible tragedy is Hurricane Katrina. The storm knocked out power to MemorialMedicalCenter and created horrific conditions with temperatures over 100 degrees, rising flood waters, dwindling food and medical supplies and desperation on the part of the 2,000 people stranded at the hospital.
Who was responsible for the 34 deaths that occurred at the hospital after Katrina? In my view, the culprit wasn’t the doctors who courageously stayed behind to take care of the feeble patients. People should look at the actions of state and local government who basically deserted the poor people at the hospital. According to Pou’s attorney Rick Simmons, “anyone with a television set knows the cause of death.” He believes that the investigation should have focused on “abandonment by state government.” No doubt it was a tragedy that healthcare professionals at MemorialMedicalCenter were left stranded for so long after Katrina. They had to take care of critically ill and elderly patients for days without any help from government officials.
The grand jury decision has exposed the critical mistakes of Attorney General Charles Foti. He rushed to judgment and to the cameras accusing Pou and the nurses of murder, but he obviously lacked the necessary proof. The Orleans Parish coroner ruled that there was not enough evidence to determine a cause of death and now the grand jury has refused to issue an indictment.
In response, Foti reacted angrily by pointing fingers at the District Attorney Eddie Jordan for not calling enough witnesses and at the media for creating sympathy for Pou and the nurses. At this point, Foti is in serious jeopardy of losing his re-election campaign after his most high profile case has crashed and burned.
Foti should have never arrested Pou in the first place. If he found compelling evidence of a possible crime, he should have immediately turned it over to Jordan instead of hoarding the information for so long and personalizing the case so much.
Now, voters have a decision to make, should they return Foti to office or remove him. There are two announced candidates running against Foti this fall, Democrat prosecutor Buddy Caldwell and GOP attorney Royal Alexander.
Foti was the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff prior to being elected Attorney General. He basically ran a prison for 30 years and all voters of Louisiana are now painfully aware that the Orleans Parish prison is not a proper training ground for being Attorney General. It is apparent that Foti was elected to this position without the necessary experience as a prosecutor and trial attorney and without an in-depth knowledge of the legal system.
In the fall, the voters of Louisiana can overturn the horrible mistake they made in 2003. They can elect a new Attorney General, one who can return competence and integrity to this important office.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 5 till 9 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
I wasn't under the impression that hero or not was at issue in this piece. It simply boils down to this: The right to be judged by a jury of peers. Did Foti honestly think he would find 12 jurors hell bent on convicting Pou in that 'peer district' or any other district in Louisiana for that matter? And even if he could, do you honestly thing Dr. Pou's attorney would allow that obvious discrimination to occur. And no, I do not think it would have been a case of folks wanting to protect the immortal doctors. What it amounts to, is there were over a thousand other deaths way more obvious, and just as time consuming in the story. Stretched thin were the resources. The hospital had no City or Federal aid that could be focused on the hospital? Well neither did tens upon tens upon tens of thousands of others in the city that day. This type of accusation is about as realistic as accusing the Coast Guard of not rescuing the passengers of the Titanic. I wonder when people are going to put down their dirty laundry baskets and get to the basics. Cause and effect, and how to overcome a repeat of those types of occurrences in the future as quickly and as cost efficiently as can possibly done. Wish in one hand and spit in another and see which one fills up first. Or, the beggar’s cup isn’t going to be stuffed nearly as full in the upcoming congressional hearings at D.C.
Written by Cuz I'm a wunderer, I'm a wunderer, u wunder round
on 7/26/2007
Pablo, Mi Amigo! we agree let the court decide. My point initially was to point blame at the CITY government, not at individuals. Sorry I missed your Sarcasm, I truly thought you were serious!
Written by Ole Jarhead
on 7/26/2007
“People should look at the actions of state and local government who basically deserted the poor people at the hospital.”? Jeff, they were abandoned long before Katrina came to town. How else do you think that horrendous event took place? Katrina is the ‘Horrible Villain’, graft and corruption is at the root of the evil. But everyone knows there cannot be a conspiracy unless a minimum of three are involved. Enter Complacency. And for it to become a strong conspiracy, enter Apathy. Seems like this buzz site is really a gathering place for a murder of crows, or a parody for parrots. I fail to see any original thinking displayed, or any altruistic viewpoints presented, aside for one or two every here and there, and even then it has to keep its head down while the old ladies gossiping at the wash tub babble on without presenting any kind of meaningful discussion on how to correct things and get Louisiana on the right path. Just an observation, but then again everything is obvious to people kept on the sidelines.
Written by Truth or Dare?
on 7/26/2007
Now that Patriot Warrior & I are friends, I want to say that no one should really be angry with a true Ole JARHEAD. I was just being sarcastic in my "insinuating" first line (maybe NOT the way to start a message, but it grabs one's attention). Legalistically, Not Guilty does NOT mean innocent; maybe it's more like Sen. Arlen Specter voting "not proved" per Scottish law(?!) in the Clinton impeachment case. Otherwise wait to see what the civil trial unearths (years from now). Now we'll see if the State of LA defends Dr. Pou in her capacity with the state.
Written by Pablo
on 7/26/2007
There are three things here to consider in what you wrote. One, a good prosecutor would never ask ordinary people to come in and serve on a grand jury or regular juror - giving up their time for basically no pay - and then criticize their decision as Foti does. A good prosecutor would say the grand jury has spoken and then move on. What forum do the ordinary people of that grand jury now have. Are they supposed to call a press conference to complain about Foti? It's just bad form and disrespect what he did. Second, maybe Foti had evidence Jordan didn't give the grand jury. Well, you know what, that's Jordan's call and maybe he didn't think the doctor should be indicted for murder. But I also think Jeff that anytime you are going to say in a column that someone shouldn't have been elected and should now be thrown out, you need to put it in perspective by plainly acknowledging your bias for the Republican Party and all matters right-wing. Don't pretend you are commenting as an objective observer, otherwise you are trying to be deceptive.
Written by steve
on 7/26/2007
Pablo my friend, I do read carefully, The first line of your post talks about her being able to point out those who would die (an obvious insinuation that she did what she was accused of)The opposite of guilty in our justice system is NOT guilty (Which also means Innocent!) we don't hold anything over people to say well your not guilty now but IF in a year we find something then your BUSTED! (see our law on double jepardy)Once you are declared not guilty you are then INNOCENT! (my shoes are on the right feet sir, legal and otherwise.) The fact is there was NO EVIDENCE that she aided in anyones death! otherwise she would have been charged! As far as tough we found a Marine in Beruit that had been buried for a days.. alive but not in good shape, yes I know about tough people. The Marines you mentioned were different kinds of heros, though I do agree with you that the word Hero has been overused but these folks showed real courage to stay not only in the heat wit no water but in high winds no power and conditions that were Horrible at best! What I am touchy about is when people are cleared of charges and others won't let it go. They hound the folks trying to find evidence of a crime not commited. Other than that you and I are cool!
Written by Ole Jarhead
on 7/26/2007
"PABLO" - My new best friend. Excellent overview! Why don't others see this as well? PATRIOT WARRIOR.
Written by PATRIOT WARRIOR
on 7/26/2007
Patriot Warrior makes a great list. Some would re-number it, but the factors are all there.
I got what follows many months ago. It finally got corroborated in the T-P around the third week of June in Letters To The Editor.
"The Army Corps of engineers intended to construct floodgates to close off water from Lake Pontchartrain during storms. A lawsuit by the local environmental group Save Our Wetlands, assisted by the national Environmental Defense Fund (now Environmental Defense), sued the Corps of Engineers, saying that gates could threaten some fish species. The U.S. Attorney warned the federal judge that a delay could kill thousands of New Orleanians in a hurricane. Nevertheless, in 1977, a federal judge stopped the project.
The Corps had already done an environmental impact study that was approved by the EPA. A second study satisfying the judge’s requirements, such as examining the mating habits of certain fish, may have taken ten years, the Corps feared. So the Corps went with what was regarded as the second-best option, building higher levees"
So:
1 - any begging by "Wetlands" people turns me off now;
2 - ditto for the Environmental Defense (Fund);
3 - plus those trips to Holland, which I think centered around big floodgates, seem to bolster this argument. Second Best was not good enough.
The chief job of Levee Boards (besides resting places for old politicos) is apparently to cut the grass on the levee. Good job!
Written by Pablo
on 7/26/2007
The City of New Orleans flooded, because of - 1). the Orleans Levee Board; 2). the N.O. Sewer & Water Board; 3). crooked politicians; 4). incompetent contractors, and material suppliers; and 5). left-winged, liberal (democrats) "Tree HUGGERS". The USACOE proposed way back in the early 1970's, placing flood gates at: 1). the MRGO; 2). the Rigolets; 3). the Industrial Canal; and - 4). all outfall canals, such as the 17th. St, including pumping stations at the lake ends. And what happened? The "Tree Huggers" stopped the plans for the flood gates because it might destroy the little spot fin croaker!! The N.O. Sewer & Water Board blocked the plans for the pumping stations and gates at the heads of the outfall canals! The politically appointed Orleans Levee Board members (all incompetents), did absolutely nothing but have monthly luncheons, and filled their pockets. The USACOE was in a terrible position, included being extremely under-funded, not to say that they are "squeaky clean", but to a large extent, they had their hands tied. Now, let's all talk about the real sources of committing crimes!! If things had been done right, by a lot of different entities, and in accordance with good common sense, honesty, and competency, then we wouldn't be having this debate!!! PATRIOT WARRIOR.
Written by PATRIOT WARRIOR
on 7/25/2007
I wonder when people are going to come to grip with reality and get together and do things right?
Written by I'm a wondering...I'm a wondering....It goes round
on 7/25/2007
No OJ, that wasn't criminal, what was criminal was the city getting flooded under the circumstances it was.
Written by Y U beet roun da bush?
on 7/25/2007
Pablo, I feel for ya, so wut r u gonna do bout it? Read CAREFULLY what I write, I do not write it for no reason.... Looking for a change? Look into something strong.
Written by Oh the issues that are reissued
on 7/25/2007
"PABLO" - I'll tell you one thing for certain - if my mother, father, wife and children had been been in that, or any other hospital in our area, I can guarantee you that I would have been right by their side the entire time!! I would have asked questions of the doctors, nurses etc., and would have assisted until the end. I firmly believe that there were family members of those that died, that just said, let the hospital take care of them, and "took off for the hills"!! Now, that's criminal!!! PATRIOT WARRIOR.
Written by PATRIOT WARRIOR
on 7/25/2007
Ole Jarhead says "Pablo I just you would have left those people to die then? Those folks that stayed and ministered to the sick in those conditions ARE HEROS!Staying there wasn't their JOB! everyone that was able was told to leave they made a CHOICE to stay with those that the city and state ABANDONED! Your INSINUATION that she is gulity of Euthanizing those patients, was not brought out into evidence (THEY CANNOT PROVE SHE DID) so therefore she is innocent! Just because you say she is GUILTY DOESN'T make it so!"
U R being an Ole Jarhead.
1 - I would not have aided their deaths (necessarily); let nature take its course - some may NOT have died. People are often tougher than one thinks.
2 - As an Ole Jarhead, were these people HEROS just like jarheads on Iwo or Guadalcanal? I'm tired of the word being overused. Being hot & thisty for a few days while helping sick people is praiseworthy, but let's save "hero" for heroes.
3 - You have the reasoning (& legal understanding) shoe on the wrong foot. NOT proving something makes you NOT guilty (It does NOT make you INNOCENT). I didn't say they were guilty. At worst I "insinuated" that people don't want to deal with it and/or want to go with the flow of public opinion. That may be a better resolution (as I also said). Maybe you suspect they might have dome something unethical & don't want to face it; you're pretty touchy on this matter.
People need to read CAREFULLY what I wrote & not leap to conclusions. I choose my words carefully for a reason.
Written by Pablo
on 7/25/2007
P.S. Wut about the Louisiana Business Shorts thread on this website?
Written by SEC, no, it's sc
on 7/25/2007
Uhhhh,,,, O.J.,,,,, you forgetteth about the negligncias of da coe of engeneria. Wut u been bean told ahl long? Da jokers on da state payroll, da jokers on da cities payroll, da joikers on da taxis dollar, da joikers, da joikers da dee da dee da da. Ah but dat iz probubly part o da commercials hype yuz dun wanna red bouts on dat schtrongconcretes rite? Get a life.
Written by Strongconcrete
on 7/25/2007
CstageJay, you should probably be our next DA. Very coherent and concise analogy in me opinion
Written by Opseye the nailerman
on 7/25/2007
I wouldn't vote for Foti for dog catcher after this debacle.
Written by doctorj
on 7/25/2007
I am under the impression that grand jury hearings are secret. If that's so then why does Foti get to tell the public what did or didn't happen? What would happen to one of the DA's if they came out of a grand jury hearing and told the press what evidence/whitnesses/etc. were or weren't presented?
It seems to me that Foti should be subject to the same disapline that any other attorney would be have to endure for violating the principles of law.
Where are the people who could call him on the carpet for his errors?
Written by CstageJay
on 7/25/2007
WOW! I agree that what killed these people was out and out NEGLIGENCE by the City of N.O. and by the state of Louisiana. The City KNEW those people were there (Like they KNEW there were folks stuck in the 5th and the 9th)They Chose to let them stay. (I won't go into the flooded school buses again but...)Not only would I sue the city and state for Gross negligence but for wanton indifference in the deaths of my loved ones. (I hope that no one here lost anyone.) Pablo I just you would have left those people to die then? Those folks that stayed and ministered to the sick in those conditions ARE HEROS!Staying there wasn't their JOB! everyone that was able was told to leave they made a CHOICE to stay with those that the city and state ABANDONED! Your INSINUATION that she is gulity of Euthanizing those patients, was not brought out into evidence (THEY CANNOT PROVE SHE DID) so therefore she is innocent! Just because you say she is GUILTY DOESN'T make it so!
Written by Ole Jarhead
on 7/25/2007
Foti first ran into a garbage can or some other thing when he was driving drunk. Then he ran into the truth yesterday. Next he will run into the Nyfong reality!
Written by Anonymous
on 7/25/2007
Excellent observation Kerry..................
Written by Yup
on 7/25/2007
"what put those people into the situation they were in when this went down"....well, water has to be pumped to a HIGHER elevation to keep us from flooding.... we live along the coast.... in a hurricane prone area..... no matter what is done it could very likely happen again. I must say I find it curious that none of our political leaders who argued against installing floodgates on our major drainage canals in the early nineties have stepped forward to assume part of the blame. I suppose it is easier to point the finger of blame elsewhere, rile up the electorate and garner votes to maintain power.
Written by kerry fox
on 7/25/2007
Pablo, I feel ya, and I would hope one of the losses wasn't yours, and this whole thing is an ugly travisty. But the facts are, no prosecution. A pound of flesh, or an eye for an eye etc., etc., etc. is not going to bring those poor people back, nor any of the other 1000 or so that needlessly died. I would hope and pray that from a sound standpoint in the medical profession the doctor and nurses did the correct thing, and I would imagine that for the rest of their lives they will be weighing their actions with all gravity. Nothing can make this issue better. There are no explanations, there is nothing that can be done to bring them back. This is an event that has no fruitful outcome, except that maybe it causes people to wonder, aside from having been born, what put those people into the situation they were in when this went down. It isn't like the toilet overflowed in the lavoritory on the 3rd floor or anything like that.
Written by It just keeps going around
on 7/25/2007
ALL I'm saying is that I'm tired the one-sided viewpoint; (you weren't there either). I WROTE that it was a POLITICAL grand jury decision because people had a lot of time & "gossip" to get all squeamish about it.
IF you read what I wrote carefully, there is a lot to consider. Even if the deaths occured in a "normal" medicating fashion - no one "agreed" to it.
You make a lot of incorrect assumptions about me (& name call). I didn't even vote for Foti! And I don't know what you mean by "judicial prudence" - this was a people's grand jury, not a Judge's. I wonder how much law you know. (I wonder what you would have done if your Mother had been "put down" when you thought she was pretty resilient & you thought that she may have endured the storm - but instead was injected with soemthing to "ease her pain" & now is dead.) I recommend, a la OJ, that we wait to see what the civil suits, with their full discovery, unearth.
Grand Jury people often rule what they think the general public would want & the general public has made its opinion known. I don't have an overriding prioblem with that. I wonder what the case might have been if it could have been put straightaway before a Judge who followed the law. Sheriffs are overenthusiastic (except when you want them to be), but they usually know the law & the facts before them.
I want people to maintain a small grain of possibility to always consider the other side - slippery slope & all that jazz....
Written by Pablo
on 7/25/2007
Ahhhh,,, the smoke and the mirrors. Patriot Warrior, you are correct, and Pablo, you are correct. Sounds like a "Hung Jury" to me, and that means the accused goes free. But there is an even bigger question here. WHAT CAUSED THOSE POOR PEOPLE TO BE STUCK IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND HOW MANY MORE WERE THERE LIKE IT? Folks, seriously, focus on the issues, and the facts of the matter. Foti's name was brought up, why isn't he pursuing and placing criminal charges against the causes of this, and no it was not Katrina. Could there perhaps be a little favortism here? a little fear of culling some of his own? Could the old boy network be at risk of taking some direct 'hits' from this? Katrina didn't cause it, criminal conduct did.
Written by Oh gag me with a broom
on 7/25/2007
"Poor pathetic Pablo" - He doesn't have all of the facts, and details, but jumps on "Chargin Charlie's" bandwagon, because of complete and total ignorance. Doesn't judicial prudence mean anything to you? The Grand Jury found no evidence of wrong doing. Were you at Baptist Hospital before, during, and after "Katrina"? Were you with Dr. Pou on her ward, every second? What makes you so positive about "Charlie's" CRIMINAL CHARGES? Politics? Wow, what a shock!! PATRIOT WARRIOR.
Written by PATRIOT WARRIOR
on 7/25/2007
Dr. Pou can be a great help to the State of LA now. She can go through state hospitals & point out who is about to die (in 2hr/4hr/6hr, etc.) & we can then euthanize them based on her decision.
BUT she is NOT an infallible prophet. People in earthquakes survive buried under rubble for 7-10 days; maybe we should put them to sleep as we find them in that predicament. These poor "abandoned" patients in Katrina should have been left to their own (& God's) will. WHO KNOWS which ones would have survived & for how long? DR. POU DOESN'T! IF people are medicated to slip into death (UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES), it is often with the family's understanding, if not consent - that didn't exist here. What's the worst that could have happened here - perishing in 3 days in heat (but hospitals didn't have A/C until the last century) & minimal water? If they were THAT bad off, their debilitation would have taken care of their demise.
THIS GRAND JURY MADE A POLITICAL DECISION. The press & endless stupid chit-chat over nearly two years created excuses for what might be euthanasia. THE WHINING ABOUT THESE SO-CALLED HEROES OF THE STORM (you know, these people who stayed in the heat & with minimal water for a few days DOING THEIR JOB - like THAT was a superhuman effort - are not heroes, except in the overused debasement of a former significant term) permitted people to ignore black letter law. Foti, as a long-term Sheriff probably can't make himself be that blind. I heard about some 60 yr old man who WALKED from N. O. to B. R. -that was harder than sitting in a hot building, so I guess he's his own hero too.
I hope we don't "live" to regret this....
Written by Pablo
on 7/25/2007
Uhhhh,,, Jeff,,,, uhhh,, DUHHHHHHHH....>>>>>>>"The real villain in this horrible tragedy is Hurricane Katrina".<<<<<<<<< and........>>>>>>>>>>>"Who was responsible for the 34 deaths that occurred at the hospital after Katrina?"<<<<<<<<<< and....... >>>>>>>>>"In my view, the culprit wasn’t the doctors who courageously stayed behind to take care of the feeble patients"""""<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<. People should look at the actions of state and local government who basically deserted the poor people at the hospital." are classical examples of "The Louisiana Two-step stylized thinking". Katrina didn't kill the patients, The Doctors didn't kill the patients, and the States abandonment at that exact time in history didn't kill the patients. Well what did kill the patients? Inept Corp of Engineers S.O.P's. couple with private contractors and State oversight harnessed with individual oversight supplied by the various parishes affected by 'a little highwater' that came as a result of a storm touching down on the border, and this point is driven home by the fact that a storm touching down on a border a second time around hundreds of miles away duplicated the same affect. Get to the marrow of the problem, quit talking about the slivers of the problem, talk about the beam.................................. Wut does Foti got to do with it anyways? Maybe instead of pressing for 200 billion dollar lawsuits he should be looking towards criminal prosecutions for Malfeasances of office, derilictions of duties, Negligent Homicide, wanton destruction of public property, and Felonious stupidity etc., etc., etc.
Written by Tired of the ignorance
on 7/25/2007
Uhhhh,,, Jeff,,,, uhhh,, DUHHHHHHHH....>>>>>>>"The real villain in this horrible tragedy is Hurricane Katrina".<<<<<<<<< and........>>>>>>>>>>>"Who was responsible for the 34 deaths that occurred at the hospital after Katrina?"<<<<<<<<<< and....... >>>>>>>>>"In my view, the culprit wasn’t the doctors who courageously stayed behind to take care of the feeble patients. People should look at the actions of state and local government who basically deserted the poor people at the hospital." are classical examples of "The Louisiana Two-step stylized thinking". Katrina didn't kill the patients, The Doctors didn't kill the patients, and the States abandonment at that exact time in history didn't kill the patients. Well what did kill the patients? Inept Corp of Engineers S.O.P's. couple with private contractors and State oversight harnessed with individual oversight supplied by the various parishes affected by 'a little highwater' that came as a result of a storm touching down on the border, and this point is driven home by the fact that a storm touching down on a border a second time around hundreds of miles away duplicated the same affect. Get to the marrow of the problem, quit talking about the slivers of the problem, talk about the beam..................................
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