As Dr.Trent Pierce continues to recover from injuries he received when a
bomb went off outside of his West Memphis home, the Arkansas Medical Board carries on its regularly scheduled meetings without their chairman. But what happened is still very much on everyone's mind.
Little Rock Police, Arkansas State Police and agents with the ATF are at the medical board building for the meetings. They just want to make sure the rest of the board members are safe.
This seems like a typical meeting of the Arkansas Medical Board but Dr. Trent Pierce's absence is notable. He's recovering right now in a hospital after a bomb exploded as he got into his car Wednesday morning. "Nothing like this is ever happened, there's no way to deal with it," says Bill Trice the Board Attorney.
Governor Mike Beebe says, "I was shocked to even think that something like this would happen in Arkansas but it brings home the fact there are people out there in every walk of life, and every location in the country for that matter, who are capable of doing this kind of violence."
With this in mind, State Police, Little Rock Police and AFT agents keep close watch over the board meeting. They tell staffers not to park directly in front so police can see who parks next to the building in an effort to make sure board members are safe.
Despite their concerns, board members go about their work knowing it’s what Dr. Pierce wants them to do.
Trice says, "He took time out from his practice to accept an appointment to the medical board. When he was needed he was willing to serve on the board and work to help doctors that had problems with the board. He's a tremendous fellow and is a great physician."
Medical Board meetings continue Friday, they're expected to have a strong police presence again.
