RENO, Nev. (AP) — Money is behind a Reno hospital’s rush to pull the life-support plug from a 20-year-old woman declared brain dead by doctors more than six months ago, a lawyer for the woman’s family alleged Wednesday.Washoe District Family Court Judge Frances Doherty set hearings Dec. 29 and Jan. 22 to rehear evidence in the case of Aden Hailu after the Nevada Supreme Court ruled last month that the judge erred when she rejected the Hailu family’s earlier request to order Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center to keep her alive.During a 20-minute status hearing Wednesday, the two sides argued whether Hailu is in fact dead or alive. The judge refused the hospital lawyer’s request to begin an evidentiary hearing the following day after the family’s lawyer objected.“It’s not shocking that Saint Mary’s wants to have this hearing in 24 hours,” said David O’Mara, the family’s lawyer. “Their whole purpose is to kill her as fast as they can so they don’t have to spend money.”Hailu’s father, Fanuel Gebreyes, has been waging a legal battle to force the hospital to treat her since doctors declared her brain dead on May 28.The freshman at the University of Nevada, Reno was hospitalized April 1 after complaining of abdominal pain.
Nevada judge sets more hearings in Reno end-of-life case