2 More Former KVHD Employees Take Plea Deals In Elder Abuse Case
Former Medical Director, Hospital Administrator Take Plea Deals
By Kimberly Foley- 23ABC Mountain Reporter
June 25, 2012
Over three years ago, 23 ABC told the story of four Kern Valley Healthcare District employees who were charged with allegedly administering psychiatric drugs to patients by force resulting in several deaths.
In the past few weeks, two of those accused have made plea deals.
The investigation began in January 2007 when the state department of public health said 22 patients at KVHD were given psychiatric medications to keep them under control. Three patients allegedly died as a result.
Former medical director, Dr. Hoshang Pormir, faced charges of elder abuse and accused of administering those medications to Alzheimer's and dementia patients.
Pormir reached a plea deal on June 1. He pleaded no contest to a conspiracy charge.
"I don't feel any relief because I haven't heard the sentencing yet," said Connie Cryts, a former patient of Pormir's.
Hospital administrator Pamela Ott was charged with eight felony counts of elder abuse for allegedly knowing about the situation and allowing staff to proceed.
Ott took the same plea deal as Pormir. She pleaded no contest to a conspiracy charge. In exchange, all elder abuse charges were dropped against the two.
Cryts talked to 23 ABC about the several complaints she had filed against Pormir over the years.
"He should get what's coming to him," said Cryts. "I think he should spend life in prison because of people that are without their relatives that he murdered."
A third defendant, Debbi Hayes, a former pharmacist at the hospital, took a plea deal in September 2009.
She pleaded no contest to a conspiracy charge and served three days in jail.
The fourth person charged in this case is former director of nursing Gwen Hughes. She faces eight charges of elder abuse and two charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Hughes' trial begins in October.
Pormir will be sentenced in July. Ott will be sentenced in August.
SOURCE: TurnTo23
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