Re:Deadly Whooping Cough, Once Wiped Out, Is Back
by phren0logy on Monday August 16, 2010 @09:35PM
(#1609923)
To your second point, in some circumstances you can force someone with bipolar disorder to take a drug (Washington v. Harper) and you can force someone with a mental illness to take medication to make them competent to stand trial (Sell v. US).
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Re:Deadly Whooping Cough, Once Wiped Out, Is Back
by woodall on Monday August 16, 2010 @10:57PM
(#1610088)
>in some circumstances
It is very important to note that this only applies when a defendant is a danger to self or others. You cannot force a person with bipolar disorder to take medication if they have not committed a crime, or if they are not a danger.
Both cases also deal only with persons incarcerated- as opposed to "free".
Re:Deadly Whooping Cough, Once Wiped Out, Is Back
by phren0logy on Wednesday August 18, 2010 @10:02AM
(#1614127)
False. Dr. Sell of Sell v. US was not a specific danger to others, his case deals with forced medication to restore competency to stand trial (for a serious crime) in the absence of danger to self or others. You are right, though, that he was in custody because he had been charged with a crime.