Woman, 92, Is Stricken as She Testifies in Suit
A 92-year-old woman was reported in critical condition Wednesday evening after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage while testifying in a civil trial here.
A witness said that Lila Coke had been on the stand in Superior Court for about 20 minutes when she developed difficulty breathing and became dizzy. Suddenly, she seemed to freeze, and her lawyer helped her down from the witness stand and laid her on the floor.
Jurors were quickly ushered into a back room and paramedics took Coke to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana.
Judge Richard J. Beacom declared a mistrial but retained jurisdiction so that new jurors can be picked and the trial can begin again quickly when Coke recovers.
In a lawsuit, Coke seeks damages for injuries she suffered several years ago when she tripped on a garden hose at Leisure World in Seal Beach, where she lives.
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