Judge grants Mercy's request for temporary injunction, sets date for hearing on restraining order
OKLAHOMA CITY — One of the state’s largest hospital groups filed court documents late last week, seeking to prevent the leader of a Guthrie-based political group from harassing the hospital’s doctors.
On Feb. 11, Mercy Hospital filed a request for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction in Oklahoma County District Court against Daniel Navejas, the leader of a quasi-political and religious group, Ekklesia of Oklahoma.
The hospital took the action after Ekklesia, which is headquartered in Guthrie, posted several social media messages accusing doctors at Mercy of being “complicit in murder for hire” because doctors at the hospital would not treat a member of the Ekklesia group – identified as Bob Barth – with Budesonide, a treatment touted by Dr. Richard Bartlett of Texas.
Barth, a member of the group, was hospitalized with COVID-19 on Feb. 9 with respiratory failure and pneumonia. At that time, Barth’s wife and the hospital’s doctors disagreed with his treatment.
His wife, the hospital said in its court filings, then “conducted her own independent internet search for potential miracle cures for Covid-19 and she came upon the self-funded website and false information put out by Dr. Richard Bartlett.”
When Mercy’s doctors refused to use Bartlett’s methods, Navejas and others from the Ekklesia group staged a protest outside the hospital. After the group attempted to move the protest to the patient entrance of the hospital, Navejas was arrested.
“One of the men in my church is being held hostage and forced to receive Fauci’s death protocol and refuses the family’s request to use Dr. Bartlett’s Budesonide Protocol which has saved thousands worldwide,” an Ekklesia posting on social media read. “The shepherd can not and will not be silent nor remain idle while these wicked Marxist (sic) murder God’s people.”
The Ekklesia group also sought donations to fund a legal action against the hospital.
“Bob a member of our local church, was hospitalized with Covid a few weeks ago. Mercy Hospital is now ignoring the family’s requested treatment and refusing to increase his dosage of the needed medication despite the involvement of three different doctors,” another posting from the group said. “Instead, they continue to treat him with Fauci’s protocol, which is a veritable death sentence.
“We need help raising money to get this family to help save’s Bob’s life from the malpractice of a weaponized medical institution. Bob is in Mercy Hospital fighting for his life because this evil Marxist-controlled death camp refuses to give him the treatment he needs to help him. We (Ekklesia Oklahoma) have retained an attorney to fight back, and we need your financial help now to fight back.”
Court documents show that Navejas called on his congregation to harass one of Barth’s physicians, Dr. Ralph Kanaan, so much that Kanaan would want to move from Oklahoma.
“You are a worthless doctor and should be ran out of town,” the group’s posting said.
Mercy officials said Kannan and the facility’s other health care providers were fearful for their safety and the safety of their family members due to the inciteful, dangerous nature of Navejas’ post.
Mercy responded with its own social media postings, calling Navejas’ allegations baseless.
“We have done our absolute best to respond with dignity and respect toward people with a difference of opinion, but we must defend our co-workers,” the hospital’s post said.
Mercy said Navejas’ claims were categorically untrue.
“Here’s what you can be absolutely certain of,” the hospital said. “There is no such thing as a Fauci protocol. There are no government vouchers for using certain medications or treatments for our patients with COVID-19. We do not make money from the heartbreaking deaths of our patients. Our co-workers are not murderers.”
Mercy’s doctors and staff, the hospital said, follow evidence-based medicine and fight to save the lives of every patient in their care.
“They have endured enough during the past two years, and we will not stand by and allow them to be attacked.”
After the documents were filed, Navejas posted another social media message saying he would be filing charges of murder against the doctor who treated Bob, the hospital and the staff.
“Let me get this straight, Fauci’s a mass murderer and this hospital was complicit in murder for hire, but I’m the threat? Pathetic!” he said.
Barth died during the evening of Feb. 11. Three days later, on Feb. 14, District Judge Anthony L. Bonner granted the motion for a temporary injunction. A hearing on the restraining order is set for March 9.