I posted a blog back on February 9 titled, “Nurse Going to Jail? Are you Kidding me?”
The article was about Texas nurse Anne Mitchell who did the right thing and filed a complaint against a local doctor whom she believed was providing substandard care. The good old doctor, Rolando G. Arafiles Jr., MD, took offense and had Nurse Mitchell charged with “misuse of official information,” a third-degree felony in Texas…with a potential for 10 years in prison. Talk about frivolous litigation!
I am happy to report that, after a four-day jury trial in Andrews, Texas, Nurse Mitchell was found not guilty of the felony criminal charge. The jury foreman, quoted in a New York Times article, said the panel of six men and six women voted unanimously on the first ballot, and questioned why Mrs. Mitchell had ever been arrested.
My Take: I am sorry the criminal justice system was abused by the filing of these charges but it sure is nice to see that our jury system works.