Emergency Room Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Over Heart Attack Treatment

The family of a deceased California police officer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against an emergency room doctor they say abandoned efforts to save the retired officer’s life after a heart attack so that he could could steal his Rolex watch.

Dr. Cleveland Enmon, 32, of Hermosa Beach, California, was arraigned for grand theft in San Joaquin County court last month for stealing a Rolex watch off of the wrist of Jerry Kubena, Sr. after he died in the emergency room of St. Joseph’s Medical Center. Kugena’s children have filed a medical malpractice lawsuit alleging that Enmon could have saved the retired police lieutenant’s life if he had not been so focused on stealing his watch.

Kubena was admitted to St. Joseph’s Medical Center suffering from heart problems on June 1. Two nurses working with Enmon in the emergency room noticed that the watch was missing and saw a bulge in Enmon’s pocket after Kubena was pronounced dead.

The nurses alerted security who attempted to prevent anyone from leaving, but one of the nurses indicated Enmon snuck out into the parking lot and threw the watch aside. Enmon was caught on hospital surveillance cameras in the parking lot, and one of the nurses found the watch and informed security.

A grand jury indicted Enmon on one charge of grand theft on August 25.

The family’s emergency room wrongful death lawsuit names Enmon, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, and Catholic Healthcare West, which owns the hospital, as defendants. The complaint alleges that Enmon ceased efforts that could have saved Kubena’s life to get the watch. The family also charges that the hospital, attempted to cover up the incident after Enmon had been fired. The lawsuit charges the hospital and its owners with conspiracy, negligent hiring and supervision.

California Deputy Attorney General Gail Heppell has announced that she will request that Enmon’s medical license be suspended until the charges against him have been resolved. Enmon’s attorney entered no plea on Monday. His next court appearance is October 19.