The Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXVII, No. 26-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Thursday une 9, 1977 Ten Cents Twelve Pages
Judge reduces eight charges
aganst two Flipino nurses
By KEITH B. RICHBURG
Special To The Daily
DETROIT - In a dramatic move,
Veterans Administration Hospital
(VA) nurses Filipina Narciso and
Leonora Perez were acquitted of
some murder and poisoning charges
yesterday.
Federal Judge Philip Pratt di
missed six counts, including two of
murder, against P e r e z, and two
counts, including one of murder,
against Narciso. The nurses cited in
each count could not be legally
placed at the scene of the breath-
ing failures, but were charged with
the murders through an additional 1
conspiracy charge. ~
ALL MURDER and poisoning charges
in the case stem from a rash of appar- -
ently poison-induced breathing failures r
in several patients at the Ann Arbor VA
Hospital two years ago.
After dismissing the murder counts,
Pratt said, "The court finds that the con-
spiracy count must stand and be pre-f
sented to the jury."
Pratt also dismissed one of the govern-
ment's "overt acts" listed in the indict-
ment against Narciso and Perez under
the conspiracy charge.
NARCISO NOW faces one m u r d e r
:harge in the death of John Herman, pa-
tient, and six other charges of poisoning.
Perez faces but three poisoning charges.
The nurses also share one count of
poisoning, and one count of conspiacy.
Pratt explained his decision to the K
packed courtroom in an hour-long state-
ment, prefacing his remarks cautiously
"Some of the judgments may tend to im
ply that I'm expressing an opinion.
"I DO NOT express in any fas hion, nor
do I intend to express, any personal
opinion as to the weight of the evidence,
Pratt said. A
Pratt said he arrived at his decision FORMER VA NURSES Leonora Perez (left) and Filipina Narciso smile as they arswer questions in Detroit yester-
af er considering certain factors--timing day after Federal Judge Philip Pratt dropped two murder charges against Perez and one murder charge against Nar-
See JUDGE, Page 6 ciso
SACUA offers six names
to Fleming for Rhodes' post
By MICHAEL YELLIN FLEMING will make his final recommendation
M e f Sa doto the Board of Regents before the Regents
Members of the Senate Advisor committee on choose the new Vice President for Academic Af-
Umversity Affairs (SACUA) who are working to .fairs
find a replacemnt for Vice President for Academ-
is Affairs Frank Rhodes, said yesterday they have On Mod-y SACUA members, along with w
student representatives who sat on the screening
submitted their final list of six candidates to be tteeti et with Flemntodscuss
committee, will meet with Fleming to discuss
considered by President Robben Fleming.
Charles Lehman, chairman of SACUA, indicated t
the search committee members have been sworn Steve Carnavale, one of the two students in-
to secrecy concerning the names, sex and race volved with the SACUA committee, said yester-
of the people screened and the six recommended day women and minority candidates were consid-
Rhodes for Fleming's consideration. See FLEMING, Page 6 . Fleming