JACKSON – A New Albany Nurse has pleaded guilty in court after an investigation showed she signed out medicines for her patients but failed to dispense them to those same patients, Attorney General Jim Hood said.
Kimberly Murrell, 37, of Plantersville, entered a guilty plea, before Judge Andrew Howorth in Lafayette County, to one count of acquiring or obtaining possession of controlled substance or prescription by misrepresentation and fraud.
Murrell was indicted on those charges by a Union County grand jury in October 2009.
At the time of the crimes, Murrell was working at Graceland Care Center of New Albany as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She admitted that on multiple occasions she signed out – but did not dispense- Lortab, a narcotic, to three different patients at the facility.
These actions occurred between December 2008 and January 2009.
For her sentencing, Murrell agreed to and was accepted to participate in the Third Judicial District Drug Court, which is a minimum 36-month program consisting of five phases.
Because this was her first offense and she had no prior convictions, Murrelly was eligible for this program.
“This is a great program started by Judge Howorth that provides early intervention and serves as a meaningful alternative to incarceration for certain defendants,” said Attorney General Hood. “The goal is to reduce the recidivism rate for the participants and hopefully help them become a productive member of society.”
As part of the program, Murrell must agree to the program’s guidelines which include meeting with Judge Howorth and the drug staff once a week, attending AA or NA meetings twice a week and submitting to regular and random drug screening.
Murrell’s case was investigated and prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Unit of the Attorney General’s Office.
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