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In the
late 60's the only real County trauma center was Harbor General Hospital.
AKA; "Harbor Generous". It has and will always be a UCLA
affiliated teaching hospital.
In the
late summer of 1969 we were working 17 PM’s in the unincorporated
area known then as Keystone. We got a shots fired, ambulance
dispatched call about two blocks from the hospital. When we arrived we
found a victim with a shotgun wound to the chest. Blood was shooting
up from the wound and we found that a major artery had been punctured.
I placed my hand in the victim’s chest, and we lifted the victim into
the radio car. We knew he couldn't wait for an ambulance, and we were
very close to the hospital.
We
arrived at the hospital, got a gurney, got him onto it with my
hand still embedded in his chest applying pressure on the wound.
Inside the emergency room area was a long hallway with a wall on the left
side and curtained booths running along the right side. The booths were
where the doctors treated the ER patients.
When we
entered we yelled that we had a critical gunshot victim. We actually ran
with the gurney into the hallway. No one came. One doctor peeked out of the
curtained area and with bloody hands shrugged and mouthed, sorry. Shortly
after that we saw a doctor, at least he looked like one, he had a white
coat that said doctor on it, and a stethoscope around his neck. I asked him
to please help our victim, and he just stared through me as if I wasn't
there. I yelled at him that the victim was going to die if he didn't get
help. The doctor kept walking. Several other doctors passed us and they
were obviously busy with their own life or death cases. After about ten
minutes with my hand in this guys chest, and his color dropping from pink
to a chalky white, I started to scream for some one to come and help with
our victim.
It was
about this time I observed the doctor who ignored me previously, round the
corner and enter the hallway. He had a munchy in one hand and a coke in the
other. As he approached me I yelled at him to help. With a wiseass look he
said; "I'm on break". The frustration of having a guy dying with
my hand in his chest, the lack of help, the obvious, "I don't give a
damn" attitude of this doctor really pissed me off.
I told
the doctor that I was ordering him to treat this patient. He just smirked
at me. I told him that as a peace officer in an emergency I was giving him
a lawful order to treat the patient. He just smirked at me. I told my
partner to hook him up. He did, and I just smirked at him.
As soon
as the clear, cold sound of the handcuffs going on the doctor became
audible we had people in white coats kicking each other out of the way to
treat our victim.
The
doctor was transported, booked, tried and convicted in the Compton Court
House. When he cracked smart in front of Judge Ross (ex LAPD) he was
sentenced to six months in the LA County Jail. I heard he served almost the
entire time.
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