Let Dr. Weitzel go free

      Friday, July 20, 2001

      Let Dr. Weitzel go free 

            I have recently become aware of what has been going on in the 
      Weitzel case. I believe that this prosecution should end. Dr. Weitzel only 
      did what the patients' families asked, nobody twisted their arms, and the 
      families made a very rational and wise choice, from what I can see. I have 
      had an elderly relative in the same shape, and believe me it was like 
      pulling teeth to get the doctors to give adequate pain control at the end.
            Apparently the whole hospital knew of what was going on, and the 
      unit nurses gave all of the doses of opiates. It is clear from the charts 
      that none of the patients died immediately on going on comfort care 
      opiates, either; they lived at least hours, and most lived for days.
            Morphine didn't kill them; they died of old age; the average was 86. 
            What is it going to take to get these prosecutors to admit that they 
      were wrong and leave the man alone? Are they after him just to take the 
      heat off themselves? It looks that way to me.

      Julia Rivers
      South Salt Lake

© 2001 Deseret News Publishing Company

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