Bernie Mac's Wife Sues Chicago Doctor For Husband's Death

NEWS

» by Danielle Canada August 7, 2010, 8:00am

The wife of comedian Bernie Mac is suing a Chicago doctor for her husband's untimely death.

Rhonda McCullough has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against dermatologist Rene M. Earle after she says he kept her husband at his clinic for nine hours when he was sick before calling an ambulance.

The SunTimes reports that in the lawsuit filed Thursday, McCullough states that Earle kept Bernie, real name Bernard McCullough, in his office for an extended period of time on July 17, 2008 when he should have noticed signs of respiratory failure and called an ambulance.

The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that caused lesions on his head, face and neck and had been treated by Earle for 20 years.

Earle told The Sun Times about that fateful July day saying,

“He walked in, he looked a little weak and I said, 'Bernie what's wrong?' and he said, 'I had a little cold and a doctor at Northwestern gave me an injection for it.' "


The doctor says he let Mac rest for several hours after his treatment and realized something was wrong when he woke up.

“It seemed to me he was having a drug reaction to whatever the doctor gave him at Northwestern that day. He then called Mac's doctor at Northwestern, who told him the comedian had been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia--and should have been in the hospital.”


Bernie was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. He died from complications related to pneumonia on Aug. 9, 2008, at age 50.

Earle says he's unsure how to react against the allegations against him because he believes he took good care of his friend who he described as his brother.

“He didn't die the next day, he didn't die in two days. He died in two weeks and he got over his original strain of pneumonia. He got another strain of pneumonia while he was in the hospital."


The lawsuit says that Earle "failed to recognize cardiopulmonary instability in Bernie" and "failed to recognize and act upon abnormal vital signs and signs of respiratory failure.”

McCullough is seeking at least $50,000 in damages.

Comment Comments 11 Tags Tags: , , ,
  • Leethea Boisierre

    Hmmm shouldn't this be listed under "when the checks stopped? 2 years later she sues!

  • LaLa

    Together since they were 15, had 1 child (2gether), he did what was necessary to care for his family prior to his fame (cleaning toilets, etc). He did what was necessary during his fame (wife wasn't just wife, she was biz partner, as well). Bernie wasn't flashy with his, so in spite of his p*****ing I bet he's taking care of his family!!! Plus, $50,000 is nada! Everyone doesn't make money, and then dies in debt, leaving their family with nothing. Not to mention, being with someone all of your life, and they p*****ed unexpectedly...I'd probably take a minute to "come" back to life, too.

  • Sky Green

    come on now "Mrs Mack" ur husband wouldn't of wanted u to do this.he did not seem lik that kind of person.this is clearly $$$$$ motivated.no judge will allow this false claim to be heard. cuz everyone knows "Bernie" was sick a long time just like the doctor stated.

  • elite1

    it may have taken her that long to get all of her do*****entation together due to hipaa and all

  • Just Sayin

    Just $50k....!

  • http://www.twitter.com/mscreative1 mscreative1

    Oh wow been 2 year since Bernie Mac past!...Yeah she must be runnin low on $$$

  • Don

    Sounds like they elite sacraficed bernie mac. This has illuminati written all over it...

  • http://www.myspace.com/cuteone85 Vanessa Kaye

    well now that i've read the story um mama just let Bernie rest, it was his time, I have sacardosis and suffer from pneumonia al l the time as well, I also, got a new strain from the hospital, but praise God, I was just newly diagnosed earlier this year so I may be a bit stronger, anywayz Yeah that man had nothing to do with how Bernie Died.

  • jia

    I know a few people who went to Dr. Earles. They all have praises for him. It just doesn't sound right. RIP Bernie.

  • LISTENUP

    I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THIS IS YET ANOTHER BLACK DOCTOR ISSUE AND CELEBRITIES, KANYE'S MOTHER, MICHAEL JACKSON'S DOC, BERNIE MAC, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE HE MADE THE STATEMENT THAT HE TREATED HIM LIKE A BROTHER. DON'T TREAT ME LIKE A BROTHER, TREAT ME LIKE AN IMPORTANT PATIENT. BY FILING THIS LAWSUIT SHE CAN HAVE THIS INVESTIGATED, AND THAT IS WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS. I SAY GO FOR IT. AND JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, ASIANS KNOW ALL ABOUT THE BODY, MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD DOCTOR, PERIOD, ON ANYTHING. DON'T DO DOCTORS AS FRIENDS EITHER. TRUST YOUR HEALTH TO A GOOD PROFESSIONAL.

  • Samantha

    sounds to me like she sh0uld be suing the other doctor. If he diagnosed Bernie with Pneumonia he should have hospitalized him instead of giving him a shot. I think she's barking up the wrong tree with this lawsuit. Listenup this man had been treating Bernie Mac for 20 years so i'm not sure what your talking about because apparently he was doing something right. There comes a time when people must realized it's their love one time to go, and nothing or no one can keep them here.

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