| ■ Jury Acquits Texas Nurse In Whistleblower Case | 2010.02.12 |
| A Texas nurse charged with a third-degree felony for reporting that a doctor at her hospital was practicing unsafe medicine was found not guilty Thursday. After a four-day trial, it took the jury only an hour to acquit Anne Mitchell, who faced a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000 if found guilty, The New York Times reported. The prosecution alleged that Mitchell -- at the time a nurse at Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit -- illegally used her position to obtain and disseminate confidential information (patient file numbers) in her letter to the state medical board in an attempt to harm Dr. Rolando G. Arafiles Jr. This went against state law, which requires that reports of misconduct be made in good faith, according to the prosecution, The Times reported. However, in a unanimous vote on the first ballot, the jury of six men and six women found Mitchell innocent. After the verdict, Mitchell said she was only trying to protect her patients. |