A Bridgeport couple will not receive any monetary damages from their suit against Regional West Medical Center, Dr. Glen Forney and the Western Surgical group. A Scotts Bluff County District Court jury deliberated an hour and a half before returning a verdict that cleared the defendants of any wrongdoing following the nine day medical malpractice re-trial.

Melvin and Mary Sell filed the suit regarding a gastric banding operation on Melvin in July of 2003. The Sells said the band completely obstructed the stomach, resulting in complications that included near cardiopulmonary arrest and hypoxia. The band was eventually removed six days after the surgery.

The Sells claimed the defendants' delay in recognizing, diagnosing and treating the problems breached the recognized medical standard of care. The defendants denied rendering anything but the care expected of the medical profession and the jury agreed.

The case was tried in August of last year, but Judge Leo Dobrovolny declared a mistrial after Sell's attorneys inadvertently failed to provide additional test results by a key witness to the defendants' legal team.