UK - Nurse Lucy Letby, Faces 22 Charges - 7 Murder/15 Attempted Murder of Babies #26

[ColourPurple]

10:59am

He says Letby has been in prison, and in the dock, surrounded by 'commendable' prison dock officers, "standard measures". He says to 'look how this looks' for her in comparison to the witnesses who have come in. He says this is presented as an "inherent disadvantage".
He says the jury must "get past the emotions" and "look at the evidence".
He says there are two possibilities of what happened between June 2015-June 2016. He says one of the possibilities is the result of a medical condition, and a condition of the unit - the clinical fragility of the unit, and failings in care at the unit.
He says is the other is a nurse who "decided to kill children" or "tried to kill them" for reasons "which make no sense" and "out of the blue".
He says there was a "marked increase" in the number of babies taken on in the unit during that year. He says it was "too many" babies being admitted to the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit with "too many" high requirements.
He says the babies were vulnerable as they were in the neonatal unit. He says what some people have said during the trial in evidence, that the babies were "doing brilliantly" there, "boggles the mind".
He says it is "no good brushing aside" the issue of sub-optimal care for the babies.

11:04am

Mr Myers says "the stand-out point" is "not once is there any evidence" of the acts of harm being done.
He says this is "the first time" the defence case has been set out.
He says the "suspect account" of Dr Ravi Jayaram "doesn't come close" to an account of an attack in progress, nor does the mother of Child E's account.
He says there are 22 counts, and 30 events, over 12 months, and "nothing" in evidence of Letby carrying out an attack.
He says that was despite Dr Jayaram saying it was "all eyes on Letby" after Child D.
Mr Myers adds the jury can use "circumstantial evidence" to highlight sub-optimal care.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 26 - defence closing speech

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

As if, if guilty she would have said "Look at me everybody, I'm about to attack a baby!"

The prosecution has already pointed out how she allegedly waited for moments where the parents had just left or the designated nurse had just left, or staff were distracted. So of course there would be no witnesses to see her actually carrying out any alleged attack. Dr J and Baby E's mother are the closest to that.

JMO, if guilty

 

[esther43]

Is this metaphor of "pouring cold water" an allusion to the plumber as the only exert?

Ha ha. What's next? 'im going to take you on a journey down the pipes, through the u bend?

 

[katydid23]

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue

Mr Myers says 'what struck me as I was listening to the prosecution was whatever Lucy Letby has done or hasn’t done or said or not said, whatever it is, according to the prosecution, that makes her guilty'

'Everything, every single thing…as if the prosecution has a theory no matter what happens' - he urges the jury to have a 'presumption of innocence', he says that is like a 'bucket of cold water' at this point

Mr Myers says the Crown has produced 'a spaghetti soup of dated events', he says they've 'thrown it all in, shook it all around' and have said 'some awful things' to 'see what comes out of the other end'

Mr Myers encourages the jury to focus on the evidence in this case, not the 'comment' of the prosecution closing speech

Mr Myers says 'it is hard to imagine allegations more hard to hear and upsetting than those' in this case, he says the 'evidence has been harrowing and heart rending, nobody can fail to be moved by what we have been dealing with emotionally for the last eight months'

He says 'nothing I can say can diminish enormity of loss' felt by the parents in this case. He adds that the 'desire to find blame and seek retribution is all so natural, it's how we work as humans'

He says 'when that natural reaction is pointed in the direction in which these allegations lie, it is likely to create a very powerful emotional reaction and an overwhelming desire to want to convict before we even get going on the evidence'

Mr Myers encourages the jury not to 'convert natural sympathy' into a 'readiness to accept things' about Ms Letby which are not true

He says the language used by Nick Johnson KC in his closing speech - 'playing god', 'favourite way of killing' etc - was designed to have an emotional impact on the jury and was used to cover a lack of evidence

He says the Crown's portrayal of Ms Letby is 'back to front'. He says at times she has been 'scared, anxious and struggling to hold it all together' - 'she's not a genius with an infallible excellent memory'

He says the prosecution case is that a dedicated, 'excellent' nurse decided to start killing babies on the unit for 'reasons that are beyond comprehension and are, unidentified' he says it 'makes no sense on the basis of what we see'

He says this all happened 'the very year the unit experienced a marked increase in the number of babies' it took on, who needed additional levels of care - 'what a coincidence'

He says the truth is the unit was 'understaffed and overstretched'

 

[Tortoise]

11:14am

He says: "We are the only people who will stand up for Lucy Letby - no-one else."
He says the defence case being at the end of the trial is "not an afterthought", and is "so important".
He says the prosecution "are not in any special position" with this - they have brought the evidence, "but it does not mean they are right with this".
He says there is a suggestion there has been a "hostile reaction" that Letby has "dared to defend herself" and disagree with the prosecution.
He says the prosecution "have gone out of their way" to present some aspects as "smoke and mirrors" and evidence by Letby in cross-examination and her evidence was "gaslighting".
He says it is "unjustified" and "unfair".
Mr Myers says the jury can judge the staffing competencies.
He says the prosecution "don't want you to think" about doctors Ravi Jayaram and David Harkness's inconsistent accounts on skin discolouration, that it was a "stunning omission" for them not to put the skin discolouration in notes or in their reports for inquests. He says that point was only uncovered in cross-examination.
He disagrees with the suggestion the defence were "gaslighting" the jury. He says it was "not smoke and mirrors" or "gaslighting".
Mr Myers says the unit did face "unusual and increased demand" over the 12 months. He says the trial is not about the NHS, or doctors/nurses in general.
He says the defence are entitled to be critical of the neonatal unit. He says there is a suggestion there is an "outrage" the defence have "dared" been critical of it.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 26 - defence closing speech

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[GoodDayToYouSir]

10:59am

He says Letby has been in prison, and in the dock, surrounded by 'commendable' prison dock officers, "standard measures". He says to 'look how this looks' for her in comparison to the witnesses who have come in. He says this is presented as an "inherent disadvantage".
He says the jury must "get past the emotions" and "look at the evidence".
He says there are two possibilities of what happened between June 2015-June 2016. He says one of the possibilities is the result of a medical condition, and a condition of the unit - the clinical fragility of the unit, and failings in care at the unit.
He says is the other is a nurse who "decided to kill children" or "tried to kill them" for reasons "which make no sense" and "out of the blue".
He says there was a "marked increase" in the number of babies taken on in the unit during that year. He says it was "too many" babies being admitted to the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit with "too many" high requirements.
He says the babies were vulnerable as they were in the neonatal unit. He says what some people have said during the trial in evidence, that the babies were "doing brilliantly" there, "boggles the mind".
He says it is "no good brushing aside" the issue of sub-optimal care for the babies.

11:04am

Mr Myers says "the stand-out point" is "not once is there any evidence" of the acts of harm being done.
He says this is "the first time" the defence case has been set out.
He says the "suspect account" of Dr Ravi Jayaram "doesn't come close" to an account of an attack in progress, nor does the mother of Child E's account.
He says there are 22 counts, and 30 events, over 12 months, and "nothing" in evidence of Letby carrying out an attack.
He says that was despite Dr Jayaram saying it was "all eyes on Letby" after Child D.
Mr Myers adds the jury can use "circumstantial evidence" to highlight sub-optimal care.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 26 - defence closing speech

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

“He says the other is a nurse who "decided to kill children" or "tried to kill them" for reasons "which make no sense" and "out of the blue".”

That “out of the blue” comment is very interesting. We’ve discussed the fact that as presented at trial, the prosecution is saying that one day, after working at COCH for several years without any incidents, LL went to work one day and within 20 minutes of starting her shift, allegedly murdered a baby for the first time.

Obviously there have been rulings by the judge on what evidence may or may not be introduced to the jury both before and during the trial.

But my immediate thought is that Myers would not be able to say that LL is being accused of murder and attempted murder “ out of the blue” if there were previous dodgy incidents which the judge has ruled cannot be presented to the jury. Because surely that would be in breach of the ruling, and would allow the prosecution to introduce all of the evidence? Much like the fact that it seems to have been decided that NJ could not mention that the Milky Bar Kid was married, but it is okay if LL brings it up (which she did).

 

[katydid23]

He says the "suspect account" of Dr Ravi Jayaram "doesn't come close" to an account of an attack in progress, nor does the mother of Child E's account.


I disagree. I think Baby E's mum's account comes very close to an account of an attack in progress. And she has some corroborating evidence supporting her account.

 

[Tortoise]

He says there is a suggestion there has been a "hostile reaction" that Letby has "dared to defend herself" and disagree with the prosecution.

er...what on earth???..

 

[Tortoise]

11:21am

Mr Myers says it was accepted by the prosecution there was sub-optimal care in the cases of Child D and Child H, but in the latter they did not give much more detail.
He says for Child A, there was a 'four-hour' "delay in fluids", and the "line was placed too close to his heart" and was 'not in the optimal place'.
"There is plenty of sub-optimal care knocking about in this unit".
He says some of the sub-optimal care is 'more contentious than others'. He says there is a "list" for Child H, including the second chest drain for Child H. 'Poor management of stomas' for Child J, and not moving Child K to a tertiary centre, a failure to have factor 8 ready for Child N, 'mistakes in ventilation' and 'getting the doses of adrenaline wrong' for Child P. Failure to react to 'dark bile aspirates' for Child C for 24 hours. He says Child Q was moved to a tertiary centre after three bilous aspirates.
He says that is on top of 'babies not being in the right place'. He says babies like Child G and Child I were "prone to serious problems" and "not always" looked after sufficiently qualified staff.
He says 'with one exception', senior consultants refused to accept anything was wrong in the 12 months, except for one doctor who failed to attend an emergency as quick as she should have been in the case of Child E.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 26 - defence closing speech

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[katydid23]

He says: "We are the only people who will stand up for Lucy Letby - no-one else."

Why is that? If this was all false accusations, scapegoating and an obvious cover up, why is no one else standing up for her? She had a lot of friends among her colleagues and co-workers.

 

[katydid23]

“He says the other is a nurse who "decided to kill children" or "tried to kill them" for reasons "which make no sense" and "out of the blue".”

That “out of the blue” comment is very interesting. We’ve discussed the fact that as presented at trial, the prosecution is saying that one day, after working at COCH for several years without any incidents, LL went to work one day and within 20 minutes of starting her shift, allegedly murdered a baby for the first time.

Obviously there have been rulings by the judge on what evidence may or may not be introduced to the jury both before and during the trial.

But my immediate thought is that Myers would not be able to say that LL is being accused of murder and attempted murder “ out of the blue” if there were previous dodgy incidents which the judge has ruled cannot be presented to the jury. Because surely that would be in breach of the ruling, and would allow the prosecution to introduce all of the evidence? Much like the fact that it seems to have been decided that NJ could not mention that the Milky Bar Kid was married, but it is okay if LL brings it up (which she did).

I don't think there was any thing obviously dodgy before. When we look at early history of many Factitious Disorder by Proxy candidates, there is often no history of any assaults or attacks on others in earlier years. Usually it is about being a hypochondriac or an overly dramatic type histrionic personality, etc. JMO IMO

 

[SleepyJoe]

He says the "suspect account" of Dr Ravi Jayaram "doesn't come close" to an account of an attack in progress, nor does the mother of Child E's account.


I disagree. I think Baby E's mum's account comes very close to an account of an attack in progress. And she has some corroborating evidence supporting her account.

100% agree with you katydid!

 

[Tortoise]

"Failure to react to 'dark bile aspirates' for Child C for 24 hours."

This was what the prosecution said

"10:55am

"Witness after witness" gave evidence to say the bile aspirates were "very small", and the "black colour" was "altered blood", not bile. Dr Gibbs said the blood had come from inflammation in the stomach, and Child C was given a drug to treat that.
Mr Johnson says the jury know, as a fact, from Dr Andreas Marnerides, that Child C did not have a problem with his gut, as there was no sign of infection or sepsis. There was no evidence of Child C having had an obstruction in his bowel.
"This is not a case of NEC," he adds."

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 21 - prosecution closing speech

 

[abovethestorm]

He says: "We are the only people who will stand up for Lucy Letby - no-one else."

Why is that? If this was all false accusations, scapegoating and an obvious cover up, who nis o one else standing up for her? She had a lot of friends among her colleagues and co-workers.

My thoughts exactly on reading that!

 

[Tortoise]

11:25am

Mr Myers says evidence presented on October 25 by Dr Dewi Evans: "One tends not to spread news about the mistakes we make", in reference to doctors. He says that is a piece of evidence 'to keep in mind'.
He says that was "one of the many things" that came out of his "relatively lengthy" evidence.
He says: "In a way, haven't we seen that in this trial?" He says that in relation to doctors being resistant to criticism.
He adds no-one, including Letby, is immune to criticism. He says doctors would come with 'prepared speeches'.
He says "don't think the senior doctors came here without motives of their own".
He adds: "however you look at it, there was a terrible failing of care" at the unit.

11:26am

He says senior doctors have 'in various ways' suspected Letby was doing something 'for months and months'. He says those doctors 'said/did nothing to raise the alarm...when nothing prevented them from doing so.'
He says if they were right, that failure to do anything right was "staggering".
He says whichever way, it was a "terrible failing in care".

11:30am

Mr Myers: "You will understand the stakes [in this trial] are very high.
"We don't say 'doctors bad'. We say for those senior consultants who presided at that unit...Lucy Letby getting the blame matters."
He says the prosecution used the expression, the 'gang of four' consultants of Dr Jayaram, Dr Stephen Brearey, Dr John Gibbs and a female doctor [who cannot be named]. He says the doctors 'have an interest in what happens here' and each of them 'had gone out of their way to damage Lucy Letby' in their evidence. He cites an example on pneumothroaxes presented by Dr Gibbs which he says was "unneutral".
He says "one way or another" the unit "failed". He says this case is a "prime opportunity" to "hide" bad/poor outcomes.

11:32am

He says the unit was "noticeably busier" than it had been in previous years, and there was "no change in the staffing levels". He says doctors are "running to and from the neonatal unit" in emergencies. He cites an example in the final collapse of Child I.

11:35am

He cites Dr Sally Ogden's evidence that June 2015 was a "particularly busy" time at the unit, and that was a combination of factors, including the complexity of the babies' needs, the number of staff, and total unit admissions.
He says the increased busyness increases the likelihood of mistakes and the chances of missing developing problems in babies.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 26 - defence closing speech

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[esther43]

100% agree with you katydid!

How horrendous that the parents of baby E have found themselves in the position where they hold such a heavy burden.

 

[esther43]

My thoughts exactly on reading that!

Is he using the example that nobody stood up for her to try to feed into the conspiracy element?

 

[Parker Knoll]

I think this is going to get ugly.
JMO

 

[katydid23]

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue

Mr Myers says 'what struck me as I was listening to the prosecution was whatever Lucy Letby has done or hasn’t done or said or not said, whatever it is, according to the prosecution, that makes her guilty'

'Everything, every single thing…as if the prosecution has a theory no matter what happens' - he urges the jury to have a 'presumption of innocence', he says that is like a 'bucket of cold water' at this point

Mr Myers says the Crown has produced 'a spaghetti soup of dated events', he says they've 'thrown it all in, shook it all around' and have said 'some awful things' to 'see what comes out of the other end'

Mr Myers encourages the jury to focus on the evidence in this case, not the 'comment' of the prosecution closing speech

Mr Myers says 'it is hard to imagine allegations more hard to hear and upsetting than those' in this case, he says the 'evidence has been harrowing and heart rending, nobody can fail to be moved by what we have been dealing with emotionally for the last eight months'

He says 'nothing I can say can diminish enormity of loss' felt by the parents in this case. He adds that the 'desire to find blame and seek retribution is all so natural, it's how we work as humans'

He says 'when that natural reaction is pointed in the direction in which these allegations lie, it is likely to create a very powerful emotional reaction and an overwhelming desire to want to convict before we even get going on the evidence'

Mr Myers encourages the jury not to 'convert natural sympathy' into a 'readiness to accept things' about Ms Letby which are not true

He says the language used by Nick Johnson KC in his closing speech - 'playing god', 'favourite way of killing' etc - was designed to have an emotional impact on the jury and was used to cover a lack of evidence

He says the Crown's portrayal of Ms Letby is 'back to front'. He says at times she has been 'scared, anxious and struggling to hold it all together' - 'she's not a genius with an infallible excellent memory'

He says the prosecution case is that a dedicated, 'excellent' nurse decided to start killing babies on the unit for 'reasons that are beyond comprehension and are, unidentified' he says it 'makes no sense on the basis of what we see'

He says this all happened 'the very year the unit experienced a marked increase in the number of babies' it took on, who needed additional levels of care - 'what a coincidence'

He says the truth is the unit was 'understaffed and overstretched'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue

Mr Myers says the prosecutions allegation that they have been 'gaslighting' the jury throughout this trial is 'unfair and unjustified'

Mr Myers quotes evidence from the prosecution's expert medical witness, Dr Dewi Evans, who in October last year told the 'one tends not to spread news about the mistakes we make' - by 'we' he meant doctors

Mr Myers said he asked whether doctors were slow to acknowledge mistakes, he responded 'yes absolutely' 'Like it's a good thing....one hopes that isn’t right and people in these positions are better than that. But in a way haven’t we seen that in this trial'

Mr Myers says 'very senior consultants have lined up to do their bit, to do down Ms Letby, some blatantly, some more understated…don’t accept anything without looking at the evidence'

 

[Tortoise]

11:38am

He says the Countess was designed to look after babies of 27 weeks + (gestational age), and there were babies in this case who would be "far better" cared for at a tertiary centre, and evidence had been heard that for Child K's case, the tertiary centre care could have made a difference.
He says between June 2015-June 2016, the unit was "under a much greater burden".
He says during this time, whatever the hospital had to "deal with changed".
He says after the Countess neonatal unit became a 'level one unit' after June 2016, two more consultants were added. He says that is indicative of staffing pressures prior.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 26 - defence closing speech

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

I think this is going to get ugly.
JMO

To put it mildly.