Northern Light can no longer sue over teen’s criticism of Bangor hospital

Northern Light Health can no longer sue the mother of a Hampden teen who spoke out about patient safety at a Bangor hospital.

Samson Cournane, then 15, published his concerns about patient safety at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in an online petition addressed to U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine's 2nd District, and a letter in the University of Maine's student newspaper in September and October 2022, respectively.

Northern Light allegedly threatened to sue Cournane for defamation for his comments, and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression intervened, the group said. The statute of limitations for a libel and slander lawsuit expired Wednesday. That means no lawsuit can be filed in this case.

News of the alleged threat to sue raised concerns that the hospital system, the largest employer in Bangor, was infringing on the teenager's right to free speech.

His mother, Dr. Anne Yered, was a former pediatric intensive care physician at EMMC. Yered was fired after raising concerns about pediatric-patient safety protocols. Northern Light alleged she ghostwrote Courane's posts, and threatened to also sue her for defamation, the foundation said.

Yered was given notice in April 2023 that the hospital system reserved its right to sue her for what the system said were defamatory statements that harmed it, Northern Light spokesperson Suzanne Spruce said in August 2023. At the time she said the hospital never threatened to sue Cournane.

"As previously stated, we have never threatened nor filed a lawsuit against [Cournane]," Spruce said Thursday.

No lawsuits were filed by Northern Light or the mother and son.

Courane's petition has 22,428 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.

"I can't thank FIRE enough for having my back throughout this ordeal," Cournane said. "Together we sent a clear message to anyone who thinks they can silence health care workers and advocates: we won't back down — and we'll win."

Courane started looking at Northern Light's patient safety history after Yered had to leave her job. Her dismissal happened right after she told management that a colleague had only done one year of a three-year critical care fellowship, according to the petition.

Yered was not terminated because she raised safety concerns, Northern Light said previously.