The country has been captivated lately by several high-profile criminal cases involving made-for-TV courtroom moments and casts of celebrity characters. One noteworthy case that has received less attention is that of RaDonda Vaught, a former nurse found guilty of abuse of an impaired adult and negligent homicide following the death of Charlene Murphey, a patient at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. This case is significant for nonlawyers and lawyers alike, because it highlights the considerable legal risks medical professionals face simply by virtue of their profession.

Murphey was scheduled to undergo a PET Scan in December 2017. In preparation for the procedure, Vaught inadvertently administered an incorrect medication to Murphey after retrieving the medication from the facility’s “automatic dispensing cabinet.” Murphey went into cardiac arrest and died after being removed from life support. See, Gabriel Cripe, “Analyzing Abuse of Prosecutorial Discretion in the RaDonda Vaught Verdict,” University of Cincinnati Law Review Blog (May 12, 2022). Tennessee’s nursing licensing board revoked Vaught’s nursing license in the summer of 2021, but Vaught was then also criminally charged and tried before a jury in March. She was convicted and sentenced to three years’ probation on May 13.

This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.

To view this content, please continue to their sites.

Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Why am I seeing this?

LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.

For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]