STUART — Testimony Wednesday from the Martin Memorial Medical Center nurse who in 2003 accompanied illegal immigrant Louis Jimenez to a medical facility in Guatemala wrapped up a nearly three-week trial as attorneys representing the Stuart hospital rested their case.
Closing arguments are expected to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Jurors in the false imprisonment case listened to nurse Diana Gregory describe the steps she and other Martin Memorial staff took to arrange an international transfer for the severely brain-damaged Jimenez after he’d lived at the hospital for nearly three years, running up $1.5 million in unpaid medical care.
Gregory described photos showing Jimenez as she escorted him July 10, 2003, onto an air ambulance to Guatemala City, then to an orthopedic rehabilitation center that had agreed to accept him as a patient.
She told jurors during the flight, Jimenez — who has the cognitive abilities of a young child — received snacks, drinks, read magazines and had fun looking out the window.
“At any point did he … express that he was upset or sad or frightened in any way?” hospital attorney Scott Michaud asked.
“No sir,” Gregory replied, “The plane ride was a great adventure.”
She noted that at the rehab center, Jimenez busied himself talking to those around him, showing off his toy cat.
After his repatriation, Jimenez and his Indiantown guardian sued Martin Memorial, claiming that by sending him to Guatemala, the hospital falsely imprisoned him despite a court order permitting the transfer.
Jimenez’s attorneys at trial have argued the hospital’s actions were unreasonable and unwarranted, in part because during a 2003 guardianship hearing, evidence was presented showing Guatemala lacked the facilities to treat his traumatic brain injury, and that a state probate judge lacked the jurisdiction to order him extradited to a foreign country.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jul/22/nurse-describes-trip-to-guatemala-with-brain/
Caroloft… stop answering something that causes you hardship.This a question and answer not a complaint board
#1 by Patriotism is not a sin on July 9, 2010 - 2:04 pm
This whole case should be thrown out. He should never have been here in the first place.
#2 by StoneCold on July 9, 2010 - 2:30 pm
You can’t falsely imprison anyone if court ordered permitting the transfer. I’d like to see these two try to sue the judge in the case. Now that would be interesting to see if they’d win.
He wasn’t extradited to a foreign country. He was simply returned to his home country which happens to be Guatemala.
How dumb can these people really be anyway.
#3 by CaroloftheJungle on July 9, 2010 - 3:14 pm
I cannot understand your jumbled up question. Learn some grammar for God’s sake.
#4 by Ginger on July 9, 2010 - 3:22 pm
All illegals should be imprisoned and then be made to work in labor camps.
#5 by anne on July 9, 2010 - 3:48 pm
The real problem it was his cousin who is he’s legal guardian ( we don’t know if his cousin was legal or really his cousin) was the one filing the complain. I am not sure but I think the jury found in favor of the illegal alien. I think that the tax payer should not have to pay the bills of illegal alien who are not suppose to be here. If I was on the jury I would find the country of birth has to repay the cost of the hospital stay