Prosecutors won't charge cops in King-Harbor death

It's a sad commentary when police officers end up trying harder to help an agonized patient than the clinicians charged with getting her care. But that's apparently what happened in the case of Edith Isabel Rodriguez, the 43-year-old who died on the floor of Los Angeles' King-Harbor hospital when nursing staffers failed to assist her.

Originally, observers were indignant that in the midst of her medical troubles, which had her writhing in pain on the floor in King-Harbor's lobby for nearly an hour before she died, police officers arrested her on an outstanding warrant. However, a subsequent investigation has concluded the officers were actually trying to help Rodriguez--that rather than harassing a dying woman, they had decided that she'd actually get better medical care in jail than in the facility.

To find out more about the officers' conduct:
- read this article from the Los Angeles Times
- read the LA County DA's report on the investigation (.pdf)

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After death, LA hospital faces training demand. Report
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Senator questions CMS on King-Harbor. Report

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