Jury Awards $13 Million in Death of ‘Star Trek’ Actress Nichelle Nichols

SILVER CITY – A Grant County jury has awarded $13 million to the estate of actress Nichelle Nichols in a wrongful death lawsuit involving Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City.

Nichols, best known for her role as Lt. Uhura in the original “Star Trek” television series, died July 30, 2022, at the age of 89. According to court records, she had been treated at Gila Regional Medical Center before being discharged on the day of her death.

According to the Silver City Daily Press, Nichols died at a Silver City assisted living facility approximately seven hours after being released from the hospital. She had reportedly been taken to the emergency room the previous day after experiencing anxiety and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

Nichols’ son, Kyle Johnson, who had moved his mother to Grant County to assist with her care, filed the wrongful death lawsuit alleging that medical providers failed to properly diagnose and treat her condition.

Following a trial that lasted more than a week, jurors deliberated for approximately two hours before reaching a verdict. The jury found that negligence contributed to Nichols’ death and awarded the estate $13 million in damages.

Jurors assigned 60 percent of the fault to Dr. Tsering Sherpa and 40 percent to Gila Regional Medical Center. Dr. Wissam Rhayem, who also treated Nichols, was found not to be at fault.

According to the Silver City Daily Press, Gila Regional Medical Center’s financial responsibility may be limited under the New Mexico Tort Claims Act because the hospital is owned by Grant County. The publication reported that the hospital’s share of the judgment could be capped at $400,000 despite the jury’s $13 million award.

The Daily Press also reported that Sherpa and Rhayem were contract physicians rather than direct employees of the hospital. A separate lawsuit involving contractors and Sherpa remains pending in Santa Fe.

Nichols became a television pioneer during the 1960s through her portrayal of Lt. Uhura, one of the first prominent Black female characters on American television. She also participated in what is widely recognized as one of the first interracial kisses broadcast on U.S. television, alongside fellow “Star Trek” actor William Shatner.

According to KOB-TV, Gila Regional Medical Center had not issued a public response to the verdict as of Friday.