Thursday, February 11, 2010
Nurse Anne Mitchell acquitted in Texas
by Larry Geller
For those of you who have been following the case of the prosecution of nurse Anne Mitchell after hearing or reading about it on the Internet (I heard about it on WBAI news, a great program), she has been acquitted. The jury deliberated only an hour today before unanimously finding her not guilty. See, for example, this New York Times story: Whistle-Blowing Nurse Is Acquitted in Texas (2/11/2010).
If you’re not familiar with the case, at least skim the story to see what goes on in medicine in Texas. Much more detail on this doctor is in The Winkler County Nurse Trial, An Alleged Massive Conflict of Interest and Morgellons, (scienceblog.com, 2/9/2010). I wonder how a hospital that tolerates such behavior can remain open.
In Hawaii, whistleblowers often don’t do very well. I am familiar with a few cases, and believe that for most typical wage earners it is hard to get an attorney to take up one’s case after being fired. So the law has no teeth. In other words, anyone who rats on an employer is just going to be fired. End of story. There are not going to be any consequences for the employer.
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