New Mexico Hospital Sued Over Star Trek Actresses Death

A Silver City hospital is being sued by the family of Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols after she died just a few hours after leaving the hospital.

Nichelle Nichols, known to millions of "trekkies" as Lt. Uhura in the original Star Trek tv series, was taken to Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City with what her family's attorney says was a "treatable heart problem". Sadly, 7 hours after leaving the hospital, she passed away at the age of 89.

Nichols was taken to Gila Regional Medical Center experiencing shortness of breath. There, according to trial attorney Lisa Curtis, she should have been given a full "cardiac workup" but was instead sent to an observation unit and then discharged the next day in "worse condition".

Her Star Trek Role Was Groundbreaking

As Lt. Uhura, Nichols role was groundbreaking in a number of ways. It was the first time a black woman was cast in a lead role. Star Trek was also the first show to have female characters in positions of high rank or power and Nichols and Capt. Kirk, (William Shatner), shared the first onscreen, interracial kiss.

Who Created Star Trek?

El Pasoan Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek and its characters and fought for Nichols to get that lead role as well as equality for female characters.

READ MORE: El Paso Writer Gene Roddenberry Accurately Predicted The Future 

When the battling became too much and Nichols considered quitting, she was advised by Martin Luther King jr himself to hang in there and be the role model that young black women of the time needed.  

She stuck it out and truly did make a difference, inspiring ... among countless others ... the lady who would become the USA's first African-American, female astronaut.