Lawsuit Claims Medical Negligence Contributed to death of Nichelleโค Nichols
Las Cruces, NM -โ A lawsuit filed โthis week alleges medicalโ negligence โcontributed to the death of Nichelle โคNichols, the groundbreaking actress best known for her role as Lt. Uhura โฃon the original Star Trek series.โข Nichols died July 30, 2022, at the age โof 89. The suit, โคfiled by her son, Kyle Johnson, accuses Guadalupe County Hospital โข(GRMC) of failing to provide adequate medical care.
The lawsuit centers on an incident inโ July 2022,when Nichols was transported by ambulance to GRMC experiencing sudden heart problems.According to the complaint, the hospital did notโฃ perform necessaryโ cardiac work and instead โขplaced her in an observation unit. Johnson alleges his mother required transfer to a facility โwith cardiology specialists and appropriate diagnostic equipment, a transfer that did not occur in a timely manner.
“Nichelle was taken โin by ambulance because she was having sudden heart problems. They didn’t do cardiac work on her, and that was โneeded. Theyโ put herโฃ in anโ observation unit,which is not where she needed โคtoโ go. She needed to get โฃtransferred to โขLas Cruces, whereโค they have cardiologists on staff and on call and the right equipment just to diagnose her and take care of her,” Johnson toldโค KOAT.
The โขcomplaint further alleges a broader concern about healthcare quality in โthe region, withโข johnson stating, โ”We have to have accessโข to quality health care. We can’t allow these big corporationsโค toโ come in and take money outโค of our state and give us crappy health care. it’s wrong.”
Nichols’ legacy extends farโฃ beyondโค her iconic role inโ science fiction.โ A dedicated civil rights activist, she was encouraged by Martin Luther King Jr. to remain on Star Trek โฃ to present a positive image of a Black woman in a position of authority. “She wanted to leave ‘Star Trek’ and go do a Broadway play,butโฃ Martin Luther โKing Jr.โฃ called โher and said,โ ‘We need โฃyou,’ as she worked in the civil rights movement.’Weโข need you to stay on โคtelevision because you show us an intelligent black woman can do things in the world,'” Johnson recountedโข to KOAT. โ
Later in life, Nichols became โคa NASA ambassador, actively โขrecruiting women and minorities to apply โto the space program.
GRMC’s attorney, Ryan Clement, has not yet responded to requests for comment from KOAT.
This โis a developing story. Stay updated with the KOAT app, available for downloadโข here.