Story here:
A woman who had suffered a massive heart attack died after hospital personnel moved her out of a trauma room to accommodate a flu-stricken Michael Jackson, the patient's family said.Jury selection in Jackson's child molestation child [sic] had to be temporarily postponed Feb. 15 when the pop star was taken to Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, Calif., complaining of flu-like symptoms. Manuela Gomez Ruiz, a 74-year-old grandmother, was moved from the primary trauma room and taken off the machine ventilator, with her breathing instead assisted manually by hand pump, until she was relocated to a smaller room nearby, her family told ABC News.
The larger room was kept for Jackson, the family says. Hospital records show Jackson, 46, told emergency room staff he had severe abdominal pain. His body temperature, 96.9 degrees, was below normal and he had tears in his eyes. The initial emergency room report said he could go home any time.
There was no doubt Jackson was sick — as a doctor assured the judge presiding over his trial — but how sick? Anna Ruiz, Ruiz's daughter-in-law, says she watched as Jackson entered the emergency room.
"He walked in," she said. "When I saw him, he was walking unassisted."
Anna Ruiz was in the emergency room with her mother-in-law who was in the primary trauma room, attached to IVs and a ventilator.
"It's a large family and the mom is the heart of the family, " she said. Ruiz was a mother of eight, grandmother of 24 and great-grandmother of 26.
But Ruiz's heart was failing rapidly. She would have two more heart attacks before she died that day.
The family has hired an attorney to sue both the hospital and Jackson.
Read the whole story.
If this is all true, then the hospital administrators have blood on their hands.
And MJ also played a role here, by being such a pathetic little drama queen.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
do we know if Jackson was even aware that someone was moved to accomodate him, or is this something the hospital did on its own? It also sounds like the woman was fading and would have done so under any circumstances.
In a general sense Jackson's outrageous sense of entitlement and the financial clout to back it up are part of why he became what he has become, but it doesn't seem to have much specific bearing on this woman's death
2 - mrbenning
There's no mention in the article of Jackson's actions other than him walking in and declaring his illness. Also, if the woman's heart was already functioning around 30%, she was probably a goner anyway.
It's a pissed off family looking to perpetuate their anger. I've seen it at funerals for my own family members. If they want to target someone, make it the hospital. In the end, they had the final say.
3 - Pete
Here we go again. How is Jackson even responsible? It's the hospital who relocated this woman, not Jackson.
Where is the proof Jackson even asked to move that woman out of her room?
On top of that, if the medical people moving her to another room caused her to have another two heart attacks why would they do it? It's beyond stupid. They are there to prevent people dying, not to kill them. If there really was a risk of her dying by being moved to another room, I'm sure they wouldn't be that callous.
The woman was a great Grandmother and just had a heart attack. How on Earth can they blame Jackson for the woman dying?
4 - Dave Nalle
It's America. Anyone can blame anyone else for anything, no matter how silly or baseless the charge.
Dave
5 - Julie Palmer
How is this guy going to get a free trial when stuff like this gets thrown at him in the States?
Surely this family cannot be serious?
6 - DrPat
Julie, it's by no means a free trial - it costs the state a lot of money (which we as taxpayers fund, of course).
The jurors are supposed to be ignoring input from outside the trial process, which this certainly is. That "official ignorance' works variably well from one trial to another, and is why jury selection was expected to take so long for the case.
Seems that there were more people who were already not following Jacko's exploits than we thought...
7 - Douglas Mays
The decision making by the ER staff is to blame. Jackson could have easily been seen in the smaller room.
8 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
surely the hospital is at fault. i would hate to think that if a patient was discharged so i could get a bed or whatever, that said patient's family could sue me, even if i had nothing to do with it, nor knew anything of it.
9 - HW Saxton
All manner of public institution seem to
get "Star struck" over the presence of a
celebrity and will go out of their way
to accomodate them. Airlines,Night Clubs
& Restaurants are notorious for doing it
(giving preferential treatment to some
so called "Celebrity" at somebody elses
expense)so I don't see why it would be
any different in this case because this
was a hospital.
10 - Shark
Pete: "...if the medical people... caused her to have another two heart attacks why would they do it? It's beyond stupid. They are there to prevent people dying, not to kill them."
Haven't had much experience with hospitals, have ya?
BTW: a couple of asides;
1) I agree with many here: if a suit is in order, it should be against the hospital.
2) I've had the unfortunate experience of working with, for, and among the ultra-rich; they are almost always over-accomodated at the expense of the peasants. Ironic that the richest people on earth usually get most of their stuff free; those who can afford to pay for "the best" usually get it handed to them.
3) My wife is an RN; when a famous or semi-famous ultra-rich pig enters the office, the office manager usually runs to the back and tells her to "take good care" of rich pig. Wife/RN is always insulted by such acts -- as if she doesn't treat everyone with 'good care'.
4) Eat the Rich! LibertŽ, 'galitŽ, FraternitŽ!
11 - edward przydzial
michael is responsible for the death of an elderly woman at the hospital...
special treatment for wacko to move a woman out of her room for this asshole resulted in several heart attacks which killed her...
nice move michael jackson. hope the family sues the hospital and michael too.
what an asshole.
12 - Eric Olsen
Edward, even "eat the rich" Shark doesn't think it was Jackson's "fault"
13 - edward przydzial
pedaphile michael jackson does not appear before court today...
judge issues warrant and wacko jacko is making a BIG mistake by doing this...
3 million dollar bail may be forfeit as well, jackson when caught will have to be held in custody for the remainder of the trial.
i knew it. does anyone think jackson will flee the usa???
14 - Lil' Izeey
michael jackson did not do what you people are saying he did.
Michael is a legend and no 1 can take that away from him.
He is a true artist and i admire his music.
He is the number 1 singer/dancer and i believe taht he did not do what they're accuseing him of.
Micheal is the best and you all need to know he IS INNOCENT!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 - Jimmz cuz
bitches in da club listen up michael is a great person being falsely accused is an accuasition but why dont we leave mike alon is it because bad roumors in such or is it cuz ye feel we like it if some amiture at this university sais something we are bound to listen to free speech but if the free speech isn't all infact true than screw you
16 - RJ Elliott
LEAVE MICHAEL ALONE!!!11!!