Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Doc Won't Face Katrina Murder Charge

New Orleans grand jury declines to indict accused physician

By Sam Gale Rosen, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 25, 2007 9:06 AM CDT

(Newser) – A grand jury yesterday refused to indict a doctor accused in the deaths of nine patients who died while trapped in a hospital in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Prosecutors alleged Anna Pou injected patients with lethal amounts of painkillers and sedatives; her lawyer says the Louisiana AG was attempting to scapegoat her for deaths caused by governmental failures.

Pou faces four civil suits in connection with the deaths. She and two nurses, who testified before the grand jury under an immunity grant, originally were accused of contributing to the deaths of four patients. Pou says she'll resume practicing "as soon as possible," the Times-Picayune reports, and says the AG "has to live with the decisions that he made."

Dr. Anna Pou and her attorney, Richard Simmons, hold a news conference to comment on a grand jury declining to indict Pou on murder charges, Tuesday, July 24, 2007, in New Orleans. Pou and two nurses... (Associated Press)

Dr. Anna Pou comments, during a news conference, on the grand jury's declining to indict her on murder charges in New Orleans, Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Pou and two nurses were arrested last summer after... (Associated Press)

Dr. Anna Pou pauses to compose herself at a news conference regarding a grand jury's decision not to indict her on murder charges, Tuesday, July 24, 2007, in New Orleans. Pou and two nurses were arrested... (Associated Press)

Deputy Attorney General Julie Cullen comments on the fact that a grand jury declined to indict Dr. Anna Pou in New Orleans, Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Pou is the surgeon accused of killing four seriously... (Associated Press)

Deputy Attorney General Julie Cullen walks away from a brief news conference after commenting on the fact that a grand jury declined to indict Dr. Anna Pou in New Orleans, Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Pou... (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Two Cops Get Long Sentences in Katrina Killing

David Warren gets 25 years, Gregory McRae 17 in death of Henry Glover

(AP) - Calling the crimes inexcusable and barbaric, a judge sentenced two former New Orleans police officers to prison today for their roles in the shooting death of an unarmed man whose body was later set on fire in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The judge gave David Warren 25 years for shooting 31-year-old Henry Glover and Gregory McRae 17 years for burning Glover's body afterward. More»

3 Cops Found Guilty in Post-Katrina Killing

'Hurricane Katrina didn’t turn petty theft into a capital offense'

(NEWSER) - Three New Orleans police officers have been found guilty in the death of a man who was shot and had his body burned in the days after Hurricane Katrina. David Warren was found guilty on manslaughter in the death of Henry Glover and two other officers were found guilty on charges including perjury and obstructing justice, the New York Times reports. Two other officers were acquitted. More»

Ex-Cop Gets Max Sentence in Katrina Shooting Coverup

Michael Hunter gets maximum allowed sentence

(AP) - Michael Hunter stood quietly as a judge sentenced the former New Orleans police officer today to eight years in federal prison for his role in the cover-up and deadly shooting of unarmed civilians who were searching for food after Hurricane Katrina. The sentence by US District Judge Sarah Vance was the maximum allowed and nine months more than the sentencing guidelines recommended. Vance called the police shooting on the Danziger Bridge that killed two and wounded four civilians "sickeningly brutal." More»

New Orleans Cop Denies Cover-Up in Katrina Killing

Says he burned corpse to prevent 'rot'

(NEWSER) - A New Orleans police officer charged with burning the body of a man shot to death by a fellow officer after Katrina testified that he didn't do so to cover up the killing, ProPublica reports. Officer Greg McRae said he was exhausted and stressed, and that he burned the body of 31-year-old Henry Glover inside a car because it was sanitary and efficient: "I had seen enough rot," he said. "I had seen enough bodies." More»

No Katrina Recovery for Lower Class

Government efforts have helped the affluent

(NEWSER) - The government has poured $143 billion into Hurricane Katrina recovery, but most of that money has gone to the city’s predominantly white middle and upper classes, the Washington Post reports. A federal judge this month declared that Louisiana’s system for distributing funds to property owners to rebuild discriminated against black homeowners—which might explain why black people are more than twice as likely as whites to say they haven’t recovered from the storm. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Doc Won't Face Katrina Murder Charge

New Orleans grand jury declines to indict accused physician

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Blog reactions

Related coverage

Hurricane Katrina • New Orleans • Dr. Anna Pou • Charles Foti • Katrina aftermath

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Two Cops Get Long Sentences in Katrina Killing

David Warren gets 25 years, Gregory McRae 17 in death of Henry Glover

3 Cops Found Guilty in Post-Katrina Killing

'Hurricane Katrina didn’t turn petty theft into a capital offense'

Ex-Cop Gets Max Sentence in Katrina Shooting Coverup

Michael Hunter gets maximum allowed sentence

New Orleans Cop Denies Cover-Up in Katrina Killing

Says he burned corpse to prevent 'rot'

No Katrina Recovery for Lower Class

Government efforts have helped the affluent

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Doc Won't Face Katrina Murder Charge

New Orleans grand jury declines to indict accused physician

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Blog reactions

Related coverage

Hurricane Katrina • New Orleans • Dr. Anna Pou • Charles Foti • Katrina aftermath

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Two Cops Get Long Sentences in Katrina Killing

David Warren gets 25 years, Gregory McRae 17 in death of Henry Glover

3 Cops Found Guilty in Post-Katrina Killing

'Hurricane Katrina didn’t turn petty theft into a capital offense'

Ex-Cop Gets Max Sentence in Katrina Shooting Coverup

Michael Hunter gets maximum allowed sentence

New Orleans Cop Denies Cover-Up in Katrina Killing

Says he burned corpse to prevent 'rot'

No Katrina Recovery for Lower Class

Government efforts have helped the affluent

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?