Injustice After Katrina
This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
Many of us have pretty much forgotten about Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Those of us who have been there have not.
As the second anniversary of the hurricane nears, I've been seeing more stories about the slow recovery, the snafus, the horrendous problems that still confront the people who are trying to make a go of it there.
But, there was one piece of good news Tuesday.
A grand jury in New Orleans refused to indict a doctor on charges that she intentionally killed several patients at Memorial Hospital, in stinking chaos after the storm. No electricity, no air conditioning, 90-degree temperatures — and no help in the flooded hospital for four long days.
Anna Pou and her nurses miraculously kept many patients alive in that darkness, only to be charged with murder after help finally came. Sadly, the doctor still faces civil suits from some patients' families — which only goes to show that, two years later, Katrina is still claiming victims.
Harry's daily commentary can be heard on many CBS Radio News affiliates across the country.
This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
By Harry Smith
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Many of us have pretty much forgotten about Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Those of us who have been there have not.
As the second anniversary of the hurricane nears, I've been seeing more stories about the slow recovery, the snafus, the horrendous problems that still confront the people who are trying to make a go of it there.
But, there was one piece of good news Tuesday.
A grand jury in New Orleans refused to indict a doctor on charges that she intentionally killed several patients at Memorial Hospital, in stinking chaos after the storm. No electricity, no air conditioning, 90-degree temperatures — and no help in the flooded hospital for four long days.
Anna Pou and her nurses miraculously kept many patients alive in that darkness, only to be charged with murder after help finally came. Sadly, the doctor still faces civil suits from some patients' families — which only goes to show that, two years later, Katrina is still claiming victims.
Harry's daily commentary can be heard on many CBS Radio News affiliates across the country.
This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
By Harry Smith
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- I am so glad to hear that the charges against Dr. Pou have been dropped. Here was a doctor who went beyond her call of duty assisting and comforting patients, that weren't even her own, by injecting them with painkillers to ease the pain and trumped up murder charges were brought against her by Charles Foti for no obvious reason. I read the stories about the plight at Memorial Hospital under "Hurricane Katrina" on website NOLA.com. And to read those stories about the patients and doctors at this hospital after the hurricane and what went on there were so touching to me. Justice prevailed for Dr. Pou...thank God! It's time for Charles Foti to give it up...his brain is on overload.
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