Raymond+Showery

Currently just my notes. Will tweak later. = = = T he Death of Mickey Apodaca: = toc = = Charged with manslaughter in death of Mickey Apodaca, age 28, mother of four. Allegations: abortion at Southside Medical Center, El Paso, Texas April 11, 1984; Showery tore uterus, severed uterine artery; patient hemmoraged two hours before transfer to hospital; Mickey bled to death in emergency surgery to remove uterus. Prosecution charged Showery used inadequately trained staff, failed to properly treat the tear, delayed treatment, and delayed transfer to hospital. Showery's attorney's investigator said Mickey was not bleeding immediately after surgery, but that when a nurse discovered the hemorrhaging she was taken back to the operating room and given a blood transfusion. Showery refused to provide records for the Grand Jury on grounds that they might incriminate him. Showery performed Mickey's abortion while on bail pending appeal of his conviction for murder of a fetus who survived a 1979 abortion; bail was set at $1 million pending trial for Mickey's death. While Showery was in jail, six women protested in Showery's defense outside the courthouse, asserting that Showery "is a good man who helps the poor." An investigator for Showery's attorney held a "media tour" of Family Hospital after Mickey's death, to demonstrate that it was not "a back-room operation. It's a modern hospital." [NY Times 4-29-84; DesMoines Register 5-5-84; El Paso Times 4-26-84, 6-5-84, Dallas Morning News 4-18-84, 4-20-84, 5-3-84, Longview Morning Journal 5-6-84, Dallas Times-Herald 4-14-84] Mickey Apodaca On April 11, 1984, this 28-year-old woman went to Dr. Raymond Showery’s El Paso office for an abortion. She was 19 weeks pregnant at the time. Her uterus and a uterine artery were perforated during the abortion procedure, and despite hospitalization and subsequent surgery, she died that evening. Mickey left behind four children between the ages of one and ten. (El Paso Times, “Showery’s house hit by burglars,” May 7, 1984; “Showery mum before grand jury,” 1A, 3A; “Investigator details fatal abortion,” April 26, 1984)

= Patient "Ida" in pool of blood = News report describes allegations of patient "Ida," age 25: abortion by Showery January 1978; Ida experienced light menstrual-like bleeding monthly, weight gain, feeling weepy; eventually felt fetus kick, told by her physician she was 19 weeks pregnant; returned to Showery April 20 to complain; Showery at first denied that this fetus was from the orignial pregnancy, then postulated it was a twin missed in the original abortion; Showery refused to complete the abortion for free as follow-up, telling Ida "he wasn't Sears. He didn't have to guarantee his work;" exam so painful Ida described it as "like he just put his whole fist up there, just jammed it;" told Ida and her boyfriend he would have to charge more due to complicated procedure necessary; "He showed us the diagram and how he'd have to section off the fetus," Ida said, imitating slicing movements Showery had made with his hands;" said Showery told her, "you ... whores just get in trouble all the time;" Showery performed second abortion, Ida awoke in a hospital bed, "in a pool of blood;" one week later, expelled 6 inches of umbilical cord and "a small, bloody four-fingered hand;" reports dreaming "about chopped-up children," waking up crying many nights, afraid to be alone. Same report says Rape Crisis and MH-MR Crisis Line stopped referring to Showery's hospital due to complaints. (El Paso Times 4-5-81)

= Patient "Cora" nearly dies = News report details allegations of patient "Cora:" sought abortion reluctantly, with much guilt, after boyfriend abandoned her; Showery quoted price as $100; Cora had trouble procuring cash, price was increased $50 each week, finally paid $500 and was told she would still owe $50; Showery left hospital shortly after abortion; Cora awakened by nurse aide several hours after abortion, sent home; discharged from facility with penicillin and a vial labeled "Fiomor" which report said was not listed in the PDR; in extreme pain at home, took medication, "my little girl was scared. She didn't know what to do;" Cora's sister took her to "Dr. Smith," a gynecologist, who rushed her to ER; Cora had blood in her urine; catheteritization revealed fragments of placenta in bladder; surgery revealed air and over 2 pints of fluids in abdominal cavity, 3/4 inch puncture of bladder, 4-inch laceration of uterus and cervix; Dr. Smith described injury as "very, very bad. If she had not come to the hospital ... she may have suffered severe shock, or worse, irreversible shock, from which you don't return. Death or a vetetable state;" Dr. Smith could not determine if Showery had cut uterus and cervix by accident or intentionally to open the cervix and extract the fetus; Dr. Smith also said when he called Showery he was told Showery was aware of the injury and had asked Cora to remain at the hospital, and that he had given her medication which he hoped would help the cut to heal spontaneously; Family Hospital patient records included note by nurse aide, whose shift would have been over prior to Cora's discharge, which supported Showery's claim that he had asked Cora to stay overnight and that she had left on her own initiative; Showery's handwriting is not on the chart until the day after the abortion. Cora married shortly after abortion, suffered two miscarriages, and describes nightmares and hearing a baby crying; decided not to sue to spare her family publicity and because Showery carried no malpractice insurance. (El Paso Times 4-5-81)

= Killing babies that survive abortions =

homicide case
Found guilty in 1983 of 1979 murder of 5-7 month fetus aborted by hysterotomy; employees reportedly testified: the infant girl had light brown hair, was about a foot long, and curled up in Showery's hand; employee saw the infant apparently attempting to breathe as Showery held the placenta over her face; Showery then dropped her into a bucket of water; employees testified bubbles rose to the surface; Showery then put her in a plastic bag which was tied and put at the end of the operating room; the bag moved as though someone were breathing in it, then the bag stopped moving. One witness said he was holding the bag Showery put the infant in, and that he later put the bag in the freezer where fetuses were stored. Showery was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison even though the body of the infant was never found and employees could not identify the patient upon whom the abortion was performed. Five former employees testified that they had seen Showery kill the infant. The jury chose to convict for murder even though they had the option of convicting for manslaughter. News report said Showery, "his voice breaking and tears filling his eyes," denied all the allegations. "I never killed a baby,: Showery said, "and if I'm not telling you the truth, may I die right now." Showery had "been convicted of a felony charge of altering his hospital's records," which hindered state's attmepts to locate the woman.

Bagged babies
Former employees alleged that Showery falsified records on all patients over 20 weeks pregnant, saying they were all 20 weeks pregnant, and that such abortions were routine. One former employee, Gloria, said she assisted in abortions in which Showery would sedate the patient, dilate the cervix, and pull the fetus out with forceps. "He wanted them in pieces, but a lot of times they would come out whole," and that she saw signs of life in at least two fetuses aborted this way. Another former employee, Belinda, said she looked away as Showery removed a fetus through a hysterotomy incision, and that when she turned back Showery had placed the fetus in a plastic bag in a bucket "and just waited until it stopped moving." She said the fetus squirmed and wiggled for about 10 seconds. Former employee Anita alleged that for late abortions, "He walks in, closes the door, and locks it." She also said Showery instructed them "If you see any movement or anything, you don't see anything, you don't know anything," and that he asked employees to look away when the fetus was extracted. A former employee said the fetuses would be put in plastic bags and frozen, that employees did not know what became them but that someone removed them from the freezer.

Baby John Doe #81-01
An autopsy on a male fetus identified as Baby John Doe #81-01, found among other fetuses in the freezer at Showery's hospital, was inconclusive as to whether he was born live due to decomposition during thawing. The fetus was just over 2 pounds, just over 13 inches long, with sparse dark hair; autopsy also found meconium, usually found in the intestine of full-term fetuses. Showery denied ever performing abortions after 20 weeks, and is quoted as saying, "If that baby takes a breath, that's life. Now the department of vital statistics comes into it and you fill out death certificates. It cried once. It took life. It took breath. It becomes a person. You cannot dispose of it with hospital wastage. It must go to the mortician and et cetera." Family hospital was not known to have ever filed fetal death certificates. (NY Times 4-29-84; DesMoines Register 5-5-84; El Paso County Offense Report No. 00-380101, Houston Chronicle 6-9-85, El Paso Times 9-22-83, 9-23-83, April 5-8, 1981, Dallas Morning News 4-20-84, Dallas Times-Herald 9-29-83)

= Abortions on non-pregnant women = News story reports allegations of patient "Leigh:" went to Family Hospital October 17 after urine test at another facility indicated pregnancy; in chart, Showery estimated pregnancy at 8 weeks; he quoted $265 abortion price, told Leigh she might be pregnant although her period had begun 5 days earlier; Leigh requested another test to confirm pregnancy, but Showery told her this was unnecessary, and encouraged abortion that day; Leigh consented, paying $180 of the $285 fee; Leigh initiated birth control pills; one week later was raped; no other sexual contact; circa one month later, went to Family Hospital to pay $40 toward her bill, asked if although she had menstruated since the rape she might be pregnant; counselor advised pregnancy test; returned December 16 with more money, told by Showery bleeding during pregnancy was normal; two employees performed separate pregnancy tests from same specimin, both tests negative; Showery told leigh test result was "half pregnant and half not pregnant," then told Leigh the test probably was positive and that she needed an abortion..He did not suggest ruuning another test or waiting a week ... for a second examination;" Showery requested $180, performed abortion; upon being contacted by reporters, Leigh agreed to visit Showery again January 22; she paid $20 for an exam and gave the date of her last period as January 2, but the receptionist instead noted LNMP as the date of the last abortion, December 16; Leigh told Showery she had intercourse the previous weekend; "Showery initially told her it was too early to detect pregnancy. minutes later he told her to return in one week with $210 - $160 for an abortion and $50 for insertion of an IUD;" "Leigh indicated to Showery that she might decide to keep the child. He protested, telling her, "You come back here, because you're too young to have it (the baby)," she said. When she expressed concern that another abortion might inhibit future fertility, he pointed out that she had two previous abortions behind her, she said. 'He said, see, you're that way again.'"

Staff alleged Showery had a practice of telling non-pregnant women they were in fact pregnant and urging and performing abortions on them. Reporters posing as patients were told they were pregnant and urged to have abortions immediately; a maid who was told she was pregnant and urged to have an abortion asked her employer, a nurse, for time off for the abortion, the nurse was suspicious and did a follow-up pregnancy test, which was negative; patients were urged to abort immediately because the price of abortion increased $50 each week; staff report being told during "slow weeks" not to run pregnancy tests but to make them all positive; patients who needed time to get the money were told to ignore any vaginal bleeding, "that the onset of a seemingly normal five-day menstrual period means nothing;" even ultrasound was allegedly fudged to convince patients they were pregnant. One undercover reported alleged that when her pregnancy test was negative, the ultrasound technician told her she was failing to menstruate due to a "mucous sac" which Showery could remove with a D&C. Another reporter alleged she was told she had mucous plugging her cervix and Showery must do a $265 D&C to remove it. Another reporter was told the utlrasound showed a 10-12 week fetus, although an OB/GYN examined her and determined her later not to be pregnant. One reporter was menstruating at the time of her test and visit, and reported that Showery told her she was likely pregnant and to return in two weeks. Showery denied having anything to do with pregnancy testing, and when asked if he told employees to lie, said, "Well, that's absolutely naive even to ask such a question; to ask just like I've told you all up there, have I quit beating by wife. Did I put an ax to my mother's skull. If you intend to ask such an asinine question is to leave the situation with someone accused." He denied doing abortions on non-pregnant women, except an occasional "totally unnecessary" D&C done rarely because of inaccuracies in the pregnancy test. (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

= Miscellaneous = News article says staff reported Showery leaving behind fetal parts in second trimester abortions. One patient claimed she required a follow-upabortion and "was horrified ... when days after the abortion she passed large fetal parts." (El Paso Times 4-5-81)

News report says Showery's license was revoked in the wake of the murder conviction, as well as a 1981 conviction for insurance fraud (keeping the patient's insurance refund for two abortions); had been on 10-year probation since 1981 for inadequate records of prescribed drugs. (Houston Chronicle 6-9-85)

= Claiming indigency = Showery reportedly claimed indigency and asked the state to pay for his defense in his manslaughter trial in Mickey Apodaca's death. Prosecution alleged Showery was adept at transferring assets to hide them. Defense calimed legal fees had so depleted Showery he had given one attorney his car and another his boat to pay legal fees. He was said to have traded his shares on Family Hospital for stock in a bogus Mexican mining operation. his sons circulated a letter among doctors and lawyers soliciting contributions to a defense fund. A police report was filed alleging burglers broke into Showery's house and safe, taking five handguns worth $200-$400 each, two rings worth about $500 each, a charge card, and some keys; police investigating the alleged burglary were hindered by Showery's attorney's private investigator who would not allow them to move freely about the home; officers could not find the point of entry into the house, and the safe did not appear to have been forced open. Showery was ordered to pay his own defense. Showery had also filed for bankruptcy in 1976, claiming debts of about $2 million, but dismissed the case. (El Paso Times 4-7-84, 4-24-84, 5-7-84, 6-5-84)

= Failure to inform of risks = News special report says Showery "criticized the extensive counseling given in other abortion programs, saying it is frightening and unnecessary...that counseling at Family Hospital is minimal;" quoted him: "I'd do it just like that. If you sit down with a woman and counsel her all day long about abortion, she will probably say, 'I've had enough,' and leave." "Former ... employees have emphasized that patients are not adequately warned of risks in abortion....not given details about abortion complications, though they do receive more information about complications after the abortion is performed. ... Former...employees interviewed...said that counselling typically consists of soliciting a brief medical history and advising the patient to pay in cash before the procedure. ... 'I was only there one week [when] I was promoted to counselor. I didn't know much. And I don't think that the counselor who trained me knew much either.'" A reporter posing as a patient alleged: "I was not told of any risks. I was advised only of the cost of the procedure and the necessity for an appointment;" when she returned with an editor posing as her husband and requested counselling from Showery, he told them, "We just put that sucker in there and bam." (El Paso Times 4-5-81)

= Denial = News special report April 1981 quotes Showery: "To my knowledge we have never had a serious problem or complication..." Also cites claims of employees: woman's uterus and bladder perforated during abortion, incomplete second trimester abortions; "local health care professional said she has examined women whose cervices were preforated durig abortions by Showery," including several cased in whcih "the cervix had actual holes, not lacerations, extra holes." She and a doctor surmised "that the punctures were not congenital deviations but probably caused by instruments used to dilate the cervix." (El Paso Times 4-5-81)

= T hreats = Reporters wroking on an investigation of Family Hospital alleged that March 3, 1981, "Showery followed them in his car and repeately veered toward their automobile, forcing them to the curb;" they pressed charges and he was arrested. News article also indicated DA's office protested Showery's release on bond during trial for Mickey Apodaca's death because he'd threatened the prosecutor, a police detective, and a reporter covering Mickey's death; detective quoted: "if I can make just one positive statement, it's that witnesses at the time showed that Dr. Showery was abusing drugs. And drugs can and will cause major changes in anybody." (El Paso Times 4-7-81; 4534 - AP 7-20-89)

= Baby selling = "On March 10 [1981], he was charged with operating a child placement agency without a license.... The charge stemmed from a woman's adoption of a baby born at Family Hospital in December. She paid Showery $3000 according to receipts, and he claimed the money went toward the maternity fees of the biological mother." (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

=Unqualified staff= "On March 6, 1979, Showery agreed to a permanent injunction ... in essence [admitting] to such infractions as increasing prices after quoting a lesser total, refusing refunds, telling patients they require services actually not required, offering inferior maternity care as compared to the care he promised and employing incompetent, unqualified and unlecensed persons to perform services which by law are required to be performed by licensed doctors and nurses. In May 1980, the Attorney General;s office filed an amended petition alleging Showery had violated the final injunction." (3501 - El Paso Times 4-7-81) News report alleged the state filed suit claiming Showery owed $167.42 personal property taxes; alleged jewelry store filed suit 1976 for failure to pay balance of $5405 on two Rolex watches and some jewelry. (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

= Ot her assorted freaky stuff = Showery's estranged wife and son Randy filed suit in 1976, alleging bodily injury by Showery; they later dropped the suit. (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

News story alleged that owners of building where Showery had pevious office filed suit, claiming "Showery owed $2000 in rent...and that the doctor had taken doors, cabinets, draperies and office fixtures that he did not own. The report noted that all doors had been removed from their hinges. One of the building owners said Showery even removed light switches;" they said Showery left the premises "in a shambles," but dropped the suit because Showery was "judgement-proof." Showery counter-alleged that the building was run-down anyway. (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

News story indicated "His money is funneled into a growing art passion. He particularly loves the huge, sexually explicit surrealistic works of ...Raymond Douillet;" Showery owned a number of works valued at from $40,000 to $50,000; "One of the Douillet paintings, which Showery said capture women 'as they essentially are,' depicts several nude women leaning forward with paint-brushes protruding from their rumps." (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

News reports said Showery, according to a source, is "an Adolph Hitler afficionado" who owns "quite an arsenal" of guns, read voraciously about Hitler. Showery quote: "Hitler was one of the most misunderstood men in history. He was really a great man." (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

Quotes by Showery: described average employee of local ICU as "some filthy, degenerate, bearded weirdo smoking cigarettes ... hustling with the colored girl down the hall ... and reading a dirty book;" "Sixty percent of the doctors in this town are foreign-educated ... fresh off the banana boats;" said the Ford Edsel failed because "it looks like a huge vagina rolling down the road." (El Paso Times 4-7-81)

News report says after graduating high school, Showery was learning to make ice cream at Polar Bear Ice Cream Co. in Dallas "when the offer of a football scholarchip lured him back to El Paso and Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy," where he elected to study, as he put it, "the birds and the bees." Report continues, "A prominent El Paso Physician told reporters he recommended Showery for medical school. When contacted by The Times, the physician asked that he not be named." Showery allegedly didn't finish his residency at Latter Day Saints Hospital because he reportedly "was dismissed from the hospital for showing a disregard for nursing staff;" his stories of how or if he finished his residency vary; to support the seven children he and his wife had between 1952 and 1963, Showery became a professional wrestler called "Chineese Bandit;" he tried promoting professional wrestling, but both this venture and his karate school ended in financial insolvency; he was expelled from Southwestern General Hospital because he was unable to become board-eligible as a surgeon; he "served as part-time physician at Planned Parenthood Center of El Paso during the mid 1970s;" a medical group he formed "dissolved in a complicated civil suit;" (El Paso Times 4-7-81)