Originally Posted - July 18, 2006

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NEW ORLEANS, LA---A doctor and two nurses have been arrested for the alleged euthanasia deaths of patients at a New Orleans hospital following Hurricane Katrina.

The three were booked on four counts each after their arrests late Monday. The arrests were made by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Louisiana Attorney General's office.

The investigation involves allegations that some doctors and nurses at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans administered lethal doses of the drugs morphine and/or midazolam to several patients who were in the long term care unit, operated by Lifecare Hospitals, on the seventh floor of Memorial Medical Center. The alleged incidents took place in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, on Sept. 1, 2005. MFCU investigators allege that Dr. Anna M. Pou with the assistance of two nurses, Lori Budo and Cheri Landry, administered lethal injections to some patients as evacuations of the hospital were occurring.

Dr. Pou has been charged as a principal with four counts of second degree murder by intentionally administering lethal doses of morphine and/or midazolam to four Lifecare patients. Budo and Landry have also been charged with four counts of second degree murder for intentionally administering lethal doses of drugs to the same four victims.

Autopsies were performed on the four victims listed above by the Disaster Mortuary Operations Team (DMORT) and various tissue samples were taken including liver, brain and muscle. Purge fluids were also collected from the victims' bodies. The samples were then sent to National Medical Services for testing.

Prosecutors say test results were positive for both morphine and midazolam. The results and victims' medical records were then sent to a forensic pathologist for review. Conclusions by experts were that none of the victims were administered morphine or midazolam for routine pharmaceutical care requirements but had received a lethal dose of these drugs.

Attorney General Foti has issued this statement in response to the events announced today.

"I believe this case is a strong one and that these charges are based on sound legal and medical evidence", AG Charles Foti said. "I also believe that there may be more arrests and victims that cannot be mentioned at this time and that this case is not over yet. While I am aware of the horrendous conditions that existed after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and left so many stranded without food, water, electricity and the basic necessities, I believe that there is no excuse for intentionally killing another living human being. The fact is, the law was broken and it is my job to seek justice for the victims in this case. It gives me no pleasure to report what happened here today and my heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those victims."

Last fall, Foti had subpoenaed more than 70 people after rumors surfaced that medical personnel had euthanized patients in pain who waited for rescue in the days following the Hurricane.

The 317-bed hospital was without power after the Aug. 29 hurricane flooded New Orleans. Temperatures rose to over 100 degrees in the medical center and it took four days to evacuate the patients and staff. During that time, at least 34 patients died. Ten of them were patients of the Tenet Healthcare Corp. of Dallas, owner of the hospital, and the other 24 were patients at a facility owned by LifeCare Holdings.

After the announcement of the arrests, a Tenet spokesman said the allegations if proven true were disturbing.

"Euthanasia is repugnant to everything we believe as ethical health care providers, and it violates every precept of ethical behavior and the law. It is never permissible under any circumstances," the Tenet spokesperson said.

Tenet has announced it will sell the now closed Memorial Medical Center and two other area hospitals to Ochsner Health System. 7-18-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette