Army Doctor Convicted In Death -- Wash Post, 14 Dec 2001

[Guest guest]

Sorry all, I had to forward this article, only because it really pisses me

off. Here we have an Army 'doctor' admitting to dereliction of duty, lying,

and though there was no admittance to this, let's just call it for what it

is.. committing murder, and to add insult to injury, he gets to go home back

to his wife and get on with life while still practicing medicine. But my

God, don't refuse a vaccine, you may end up in the brig for God only knows

how long and fined up the ying yang and discharged with a less than

honorable. This seems completely backasswards, and adds further credibility

to military intelligence being an oxymoron.

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Army medicine at its finest...the girl father had to give up his career as a

Marine colonel to get justice for his daughter...

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Army Doctor Convicted In Death of Fairfax Girl

Captain Guilty of Dereliction of Duty

By Booth

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, December 14, 2001; Page A06

A former anesthesiologist at Walter Army Medical Center has been found

guilty in military court of dereliction of duty and lying about his

treatment

of a teenage girl who died after routine surgery at the hospital.

At a unique court-martial at Fort in Washington state, the military

judge yesterday ordered that Capt. G. Hamner be dismissed from the

service, but he did not sentence Hamner to serve time in prison.

After pleading guilty last week to making false statements and being

convicted on Wednesday of dereliction of duty, Hamner had been facing a

maximum sentence of 26 years in prison.

On a final charge, the military judge, Col. Theodore Dixon, found that

Hamner

was not guilty of negligent homicide in the 1998 death of Tyra, the

16-year-old daughter of a retired Marine Corps colonel.

The case has stirred considerable rancor between Marine and Army brass, with

accusations of incompetence and cover-ups, and has directed an unflattering

light on an elite Army medical establishment.

, a sophomore at Hayfield Secondary School in Fairfax County, went to

Walter hospital in Northwest Washington for a relatively simple

operation to remove a benign cyst from her neck.

Hamner admitted in court 10 days ago that he repeatedly lied when he told

his

superiors and fellow physicians how much of a powerful antibiotic he had

administered to the girl and how fast. Hamner said that he lied because he

knew that he had given the drug the wrong way and that he feared confessing

his mistake at the time could expose him to charges of malpractice or could

cost him his residency at Walter , a military hospital that cares for

American presidents.

Soon after the injection by Hamner, began to have serious heart and

circulatory complications. Physicians at Walter repeatedly tried to

revive her, and they specifically asked Hamner how he had administered the

antibiotic. was then transferred to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where she

died 13 days later without regaining consciousness.

Her parents, retired Marine Corps Col. Tyra and his wife, Barbara,

have insisted that doctors and supervisors at Walter could have

investigated the Hamner case more forcefully, and that Army and hospital

officials were attempting to " whitewash " the affair.

In a statement issued after the sentencing by their attorney ,

the Tyras said they hope that " no military family will have to strain,

struggle and suffer as they did in order to learn what medical care was

actually provided to a family member at a military medical facility. "

The Tyras said they believe the conviction will expedite an investigation

into what happened at Walter during and after the surgery. The family

is

also pursuing a civil lawsuit against the hospital.

Hamner appeared relieved that he would not be sent to prison. Earlier in the

day, he apologized in court to the Tyras, his fellow doctors and his own

family for his actions. " No one wants a punitive discharge on his record,

but

this means he can go home with his wife, " said Hamner's civilian attorney,

Spinner.

Hamner will leave the service, Spinner said, " and he's going to go home and

figure out what to do with the rest of his life. "

Hamner could face possible action by medical licensing boards after his

convictions for lying and dereliction of duty, though he may continue to

practice medicine.

The military tribunal's sentence will now be forwarded to Lt. Gen.

Hill, the commander at Fort , for review. Hill may lessen the

punishment, but he may not increase it.

Special correspondent Helen Jung contributed to this report from Fort .

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