The Ann Arbor Hospital Murders

Overview

The Ann Arbor Hospital murders represent a chilling chapter in Michigan's history, marked by the tragic deaths of ten patients at a VA hospital in 1975. The sinister method? The unauthorized administration of Pavulon, a curare-like drug, via the patients' IVs. Following an extensive FBI investigation, two nurses, Filipina Narciso and Leonora Perez, found themselves at the center of a storm of allegations. While they were ultimately convicted of poisoning and conspiracy, public sentiment largely leaned against their prosecution, questioning the motives behind such grave accusations. Ultimately, the case was dropped after a retrial was ordered, leaving many questions unanswered.

The Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, photographed in 2012.

Homicides and Investigation

In the summer of 1975, an unsettling pattern emerged at the VA hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Patients began experiencing respiratory failure at alarming rates. In a harrowing incident in mid-August, three patients required emergency resuscitation within a mere 20 minutes. Alarm bells rang when the chief of anesthesiology discovered that these patients responded to an antidote for a paralyzing drug, prompting him to alert the FBI.

The investigation revealed that Filipina Narciso had been on duty during each of the poisonings, with a patient identifying her as the nurse who injected something into his IV just prior to his respiratory collapse. Similarly, another patient pointed to Leonora Perez, claiming she had administered an injection before his own respiratory arrest, although he tragically died before the trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Richard Delonis described the case against the two nurses as "highly circumstantial." Nonetheless, the defense lawyers felt the evidence was compelling enough that Narciso and Perez took the stand, where their evasive demeanor did little to bolster their case. Interestingly, only one murder charge was considered by the jury, along with several poisoning charges.

Racial Tensions and Accusations

Adding complexity to the trial were accusations of racism. Both nurses were recent immigrants, and racial tensions were palpable, especially with a surge in immigration from Asia. One would-be lead witness for the prosecution infamously referred to Perez and Narciso as "slant-eyed bitches," suggesting a far-reaching conspiracy among Filipino nurses to murder veterans. This inflammatory rhetoric only served to heighten the racial undercurrents of the trial.

The prosecution highlighted the proximity of the defendants to the poisoned patients. A key witness, a family member of one victim, testified that one of the nurses had been present and tampering with bedside equipment immediately before the patient’s sudden breathing failure. This testimony was critical because experts indicated that Pavulon would have to be administered mere moments before the victims suffered paralysis and respiratory arrest.

Ultimately, Narciso and Perez were acquitted of murder charges but convicted of three counts of poisoning and conspiracy to poison.

Verdicts and Appeal

The aftermath of the trial sparked outrage and calls for justice from various groups. Notably, Pacifico Marcos, president of the Philippine Medical Association and brother of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, established a defense fund, labeling the verdict a "miscarriage of justice." In February 1977, a judge overturned the guilty verdicts, citing that the jury's lengthy deliberation (15 days) and their decision to acquit on the primary murder charge indicated they may have been swayed by prejudicial prosecution tactics.

Following this ruling, the new attorney general opted not to pursue further prosecution. Reports suggested that public opinion was not on the side of prosecuting the nurses, and it was unlikely they would risk exposing themselves to cross-examination again. The lengthy and public trial took a toll on both Narciso and Perez, who found themselves at the center of a media frenzy and public outcry. Support for the nurses grew among protest groups and the Filipino community, who condemned the case's handling.

In Popular Culture

The Ann Arbor Hospital murders captured public imagination, leading to cultural representations, including the 1976 Filipino film Dateline Chicago: Arrest the Nurse Killer! starring actor Joseph Estrada, who would later become the president of the Philippines. The film dramatized the accusations against Narciso and Perez, illustrating the complex interplay of race, justice, and media sensationalism surrounding the case.

See Also

• Toronto hospital baby deaths - another case where nurses faced accusations of motiveless homicides.
• List of homicides in Michigan
• List of fugitives from justice who disappeared
• List of serial killers in the United States

Sources

• Stejskal, Greg. "The Murders at Ann Arbor's Veterans Hospital; What Went Right and What Ultimately Went Wrong in the Case." Tickle the Wire, February 3, 2011.
• Galang, M. (2003). Screaming Monkeys: Critiques of Asian American Images. Coffee House Press.
• Choy, Catherine. (2003). Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino-American History. Duke University Press.
• Ngai, Mae. (2005). Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America. Princeton University Press.
• "Long Count to A Guilty Verdict." Time, July 25, 1977. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
• Lane, Brian. Encyclopedia of Serial Killers.
• Cheyfitz, Kirk. "Nurses Convicted in Poisoning Case." The Washington Post, July 14, 1977.
• Pratt, Phillip. (1978). "U.S. v. Narciso and Perez, Memorandum Opinion and Order Regarding Defendants' Motion for a New Trial."
• Naval, Sister Agnetia. "Movie for a cause." Panorama, December 26, 1976. Dateline Chicago: Arrest The Nurses' Killer focuses on two unrelated incidents that touch the Filipino heart.

For more information, you can check the Wikipedia article.