After heated public debate, jury votes on removal of Dr. Kevin Dukey from hospital board

Legal counsel presented a memo to the jury outlining three categories of potential cause to remove a hospital board member: neglect of duty (noting repeated early departures from meetings), opposition to the statutory objectives of the hospital district, and concerns about character, demeanor and professionalism. The memo cited state statutes governing hospital service districts and removal procedures and included attachments with meeting minutes staff said document attendance issues.

Attorney Veron, representing Dr. Kevin Dukey, defended his client as a board-certified physician and the parish coroner who had previously advised the jury in a January 2024 letter that building and operating a full hospital in Lower Cameron Parish might be financially and operationally infeasible. Veron argued Dukey was appointed with full knowledge of his views and that removing a credentialed dissenting expert risks silencing necessary expertise: "He's doing what he told you his expertise compelled him to do," Veron said. Several jurors acknowledged Dukey's medical qualifications but said their concern was his demeaner and effects on board functioning.

A juror moved to remove Dr. Dukey from the Lower Cameron Parish Hospital service district board and the motion was seconded. The transcript records a roll-call vote and the meeting record states the motion "passed." The jury then voted to enter executive session to discuss the personnel matter; on return the only publicly recorded next step was appointment of a policy subcommittee for permit and ordinance work. Jurors and public speakers repeatedly urged careful adherence to statutory removal standards and noted the potential for litigation if the removal is contested.