Jurist Rules Against Murder Trial of Nurse

The state lacks sufficient evidence for murder charges filed against a nurse who told colleagues after a suicide attempt that she had killed four patients, a judge has ruled.

Special District Judge Karen Ivy said Friday that Aleata Mae Beach would not be bound over for trial on the four counts of first-degree murder. Dist. Atty. Gene Christian said Friday he had not decided whether to file an appeal.

Beach has maintained her innocence, saying she made the claims about the deaths during an unstable mental period.