A 12-member

jury has found a local doctor and the Hospital Authority of Meriwether

County not guilty of malpractice regarding the postsurgical death of a

patient back in 1993.

Cindy Michelle

Terry had alleged that her mother, Maxine Brown, died at Meriwether Regional

Hospital while recovering from a hysterectomy because Dr. Robert W. Bowen

failed to give proper post-operation orders to help Brown recover. During

closing arguments, Terry's attorneys argued that Bowen should have prescribed

leg exercises and other measures that could have saved Brown's life.

Brown died

the morning after the surgery, Sept. 24, 1993, while she was still in

the hospital recovering from the surgery.

The verdict

came Tuesday afternoon, concluding a trial that lasted over a week before

Superior Court Judge Paschal A. English.

The original

complaint, filed in 1997, alleged that the care Brown received from Bowen

and the hospital was negligent. Bowen took the stand during the trial

to defend his actions.

After the verdict

was read, Terry cried uncontrollably while English prepared to dismiss

the jury.

English indicated

that he was satisfied with the jury's verdict and he thanked the jurors

for their service.