No. Jail the CDC for failing to predict which flu strain will become a pandemic. :P

Sure doctors in the US get sued for malpractice all the time. If they were advising a large population (e.g., they were on TV) and gave bad advice which led to many people's deaths, you can darn well bet there'd be consequences.

In this case, it seems like like the difference between

  <scientist> There is a low probability of a
  major quake

and

  <politician> Scientists assure me that you
  are all completely safe

That and a fundamental misunderstanding of statistics by the general population (e.g. low probability == no going to happen).

So they should be hanging the politician...

Yes, and leave the scientists out.

Suing implies civil charges. We are talking about criminal charges here (i.e. the threat of jail time).

In that case, I can't wait for Kevin Trudeau's trial.