A Jersey Shore University Hospital Nurse Is Indicted For Murder.
FREEHOLD — A Monmouth County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against, Lorie Hentges, a nurse at Jersey Shore University Medical Center on murder charges in connection the death of a patient there. The indictment charges that the nurse injected Alvin Flamenbaum, 72, with "an unprescribed drug" while he was a patient in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. The patient died on April 14, 2007, prosecutors said.
The anticipated defense in this matter will probably be based on the fact that the patient had significant health problems. "Flamenbaum had a significant and lengthy medical history of heart disease and had undergone numerous surgeries," Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said. Valentin, in a release to the Asbury Park Press, stated that the patient's condition was determined to be terminal on April 13, 2007, and his family had agreed to remove him from life support at that time. Despite being removed from the respirator, the patient continued to breathe on his own. Another nurse observed that Flamenbaum's vital signs rapidly declined after the accused was seen in his room.
Time will only tell if Lorie Hentges is guilty and she remains innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The return of an indictment by a grand jury is not admissible evidence of any wrong doing and should not be construed as a finding of guilt against her.
