By: The family of a veteran New York Times reporter who was beaten to death by muggers filed a $20 million lawsuit Monday against city and hospital officials, claiming their negligence contributed to his death.
David Rosenbaum, 63, was attacked with a heavy plastic pipe Jan. 6 during an evening stroll in his Washington neighborhood. Two cousins have been convicted or pleaded guilty in the slaying.
Emergency workers initially believed that Rosenbaum was drunk because they smelled alcohol on his breath, and they did not try to determine whether he was injured, according to a report from city investigators.
An ambulance bypassed the closest hospital and took Rosenbaum to Howard University Hospital, nearly two miles out of the way. Nurses there incorrectly classified him as intoxicated and failed to check his vital signs regularly, the report said.
The hospital's neurological team did not evaluate Rosenbaum until nearly four hours after he arrived, according to the lawsuit filed in District of Columbia Superior Court by Rosenbaum's children, Dorothy and Daniel. It was almost dawn on Jan. 7 when he was taken to the operating room, the lawsuit said. He died the following day.
``We see this lawsuit as a way that we can put some pressure on both the city and on Howard University Hospital to fix the things that are broken,'' said Rosenbaum's brother, Marcus.
Percey Jordan Jr., 42, was convicted of murder in the slaying. Jordan's cousin, 24-year-old Michael Hamlin, pleaded guilty to murder. They are awaiting sentencing.
Rosenbaum's family also accused police of failing to investigate a similar attack in which both men were implicated a month and a half before the assault on Rosenbaum.
After the city investigation, an emergency medical technician was fired for failing to follow proper procedures.
Mayor Anthony A. Williams' office referred questions to the office of D.C. Attorney General Robert J. Spagnoletti. Spokeswoman Traci Hughes said she could not comment because the office had not yet reviewed the lawsuit.
A Howard University spokeswoman also declined to comment.
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