Federal Court Rules Against Loughner’s Forced Medication
Jared Lee Loughner — who was accused of shooting Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 more people in Tucson, Ariz., in January — can continue to reject psychotropic drug treatment, a federal appeals court decided Tuesday, July 12, 2011.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the prison’s interest in protecting other inmates from Loughner does not override Loughner’s “strong personal interest in not being forced to suffer the indignity and risk of bodily injury” resulting from forced medication, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The court order goes on to say, “Because Loughner hasn’t been convicted of a crime, he is presumptively innocent and is therefore entitled to greater constitutional protections than a convicted inmate.”
Although we cannot presume that our newletter of July 5th about the human rights abuse of involuntary commitment and enforced psychiatric drugging was a decisive factor in the court’s ruling, we are pleased to see a federal appeals court agree with us. However, we must also note that involuntary commitment and enforced psychiatric drugging are human rights abuses regardless of the criminal conviction status of an individual.
The court order to temporarily halt the forced medication of Mr. Loughner by officials at the Missouri federal prison where he is being held calls for a further hearing the week of August 29 to fully consider the medication issue. You may express your opinions regarding enforced psychiatric drugging to the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s office at USAAZ.ComplaintAtty@usdoj.gov.
For more information download and read the CCHR information letter, “Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment – A Crack In The Door Of Constitutional Freedoms.”