NEW ORLEANS  —  A state medical organization on Wednesday came out strongly in support of the Louisiana physician accused of killing four critically ill patients at Memorial Medical Center in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Dr. Anna Pou and nurses Cheri Landry and Lori Budo, were arrested and booked on second-degree murder after an investigation by Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti, who said the trio injected a lethal cocktail of sedatives into the four bedridden patients, after determining they were too ill to be moved.

“The Louisiana State Medical Society is confident that Dr. Pou performed courageously under the most challenging and horrific conditions and made decisions in the best interest of her patients,” said a statement from LSMS President Dr. Floyd A. Buras. The statement was released Wednesday.

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Speaking Sunday night on the television show “60 Minutes,” Pou emphatically denied killing the patients.

“No, I did not murder those patients,” said Pou, …

The LSMS statement said that Pou has a long and distinguished career as a “talented surgeon and dedicated educator” which should not be tarnished by the accusations against her.

Good.