Force Feeding

[MJS]

Here is a link to an article regarding an inmate in a CT prison. He has been in prison for a while, claiming that the charges against him are not true. I'm not familiar with the case in question, so I can't comment as to whether they are or not, however, my focus here is not on the charges, but on the hunger strike that this inmate is on. The prison has decided to begin force feeding the inmate.

Of course, the ACLU always sticks their nose into things like this, and after reading the article, once again, it seems to me that its a "Damned if you do-Damned if you don't" type situation. Feed the inmate by force, and you're violating 'his rights'. Don't feed him, and they're going to cry that he's not being treated right.

Here is the link:

http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-hunger-strike,0,1133075.story


Do you think that forcefeeding this guy is violating his rights or do you feel that the prison is justified in doing what they are?

 

[Jade Tigress]

Personally, I've never understood hunger strikes. They seem stupid to me. The only ones that suffer are the ones not eating. They don't want to eat? OK, so what? Don't eat. Enjoy your little strike there pal. Ouch, that hurts me. I'm going out for a burger now.

I do understand your question Mike. Given my take on hunger strikes I'll go with it's a violation of his rights. You can lead a horse to water....

 

[celtic_crippler]

If he decides not to eat isn't that his decision? Personal responsiblity is an alien concept in this country today....sad.... because it used to be a cornerstone characteristic.

If he wants to starve himself to death then let him. It's nobody's fault but his.

 

[arnisador]

It's his protest. If he's of sound mind, let him do it.

 

[theletch1]

Add another vote to the let him do it pile. I DO see where the prison is in a catch 22 situation, though. If he were to die from his hunger strike then they would be sure to be sued for mistreatment or neglect.

 

[punisher73]

If he wants to starve himself to death then let him. It's nobody's fault but his.

There in lies the crux of the matter. Jails/prisons have the "duty to supervise" and also the "duty of care" for inmates. The reason for the hunger strike is that if the inmate gets too sick and dies, the same ACLU will step in and sue the prisons for their lack of care for the inmate. Not to mention that suicide is against the law so they have to prevent that.

It would seem that you could not "force feed" someone without a court order. It would also seem that the court order would need to spell out the "hows" of the matter. You can not put anything into the body without a warrant/court order (blood test, etc.) We had a mental inmate that refused his medications and smeared feces ALL over his cell and himself. We had a court order to administer his medications through injection.

But, I agree with you though if he signs a court document stating that he knows the health risks involved and gives up any claim of mistreatment, liability, etc. he should be allowed to do his hunger strike.

 

[Big Don]

If some idiot wants to have a hunger strike, put his butt in the middle of the cafeteria and let him watch everyone else eat.

 

[MJS]

There in lies the crux of the matter. Jails/prisons have the "duty to supervise" and also the "duty of care" for inmates. The reason for the hunger strike is that if the inmate gets too sick and dies, the same ACLU will step in and sue the prisons for their lack of care for the inmate. Not to mention that suicide is against the law so they have to prevent that.

Exactly, and this is why I wish they'd mind their own business, instead of sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. They cry if someone isn't treated right, they cry if they don't have the same luxury as they did at home, they cry for this and that, etc, etc. Then again, when you go to prison, in a sense, you do give up some of your rights, considering the prison dictates when you eat, when you shower, when you make phone calls, get visits, get rec. time, any movement outside of the cell block. Hmm...again, don't know if this guy is innocent or not, but don't do the crime if ya can't do the time.

It would seem that you could not "force feed" someone without a court order. It would also seem that the court order would need to spell out the "hows" of the matter. You can not put anything into the body without a warrant/court order (blood test, etc.) We had a mental inmate that refused his medications and smeared feces ALL over his cell and himself. We had a court order to administer his medications through injection.

But, I agree with you though if he signs a court document stating that he knows the health risks involved and gives up any claim of mistreatment, liability, etc. he should be allowed to do his hunger strike.

From the article:

"The Correction Department received a court order in January allowing it to force feed Coleman when it determines his health is in danger."

I don't know if the inmate has to sign or acknowledge this or not, but in either case, the DOC has the order. Personally, as much as we tend to have no sympathy for inmates, the fact remains, as you said, that the DOC is now responsible for this person, so while it may be easy for some to say let him starve, and I'm not totally against that either....hey if ya don't want to eat....but I think there'd be more of a poop storm if they let him starve vs. trying to force feed him.

 

[teekin]

At some point the guy is going to irrational and pass out. At that juncture he can be declared non-compismentis and the force feedings can begin without violating his rights. Happens in hospitals and institutions daily. This guy just landed himself in Pan's Labyrinth. He's done.
lori

 

[Empty Hands]

Personally, I've never understood hunger strikes.

It is an effective method of calling attention to and embarrassing an institution. After all, we're talking about it, aren't we? One of the suffragettes did something similar, and a more extreme version would be the self-immolation performed by Buddhist monks. Without some form of protest, it is easy for people in prison to vanish from the public consciousness. Sometimes this is the only way a prisoner can make such a protest, and the fact that the response is usually force feeding shows us that it works. That said, I have no idea if this guy is in the right, but he has succeeded in getting people's attention.

 

[Big Don]

During the run up to the 2000 elections Alan Keyes was giving speeches and gathering voters. Then, he decided the media wasn't paying enough attention to him, at the time there were about a dozen republicans angling for the primaries, so he pitched a fit and went on a hunger strike. That was pretty much the end of his political career.
Hunger strikes are what people do to get attention after they realize they can't hold their breath long enough to impress anyone. It is nothing more than the tactic of a two year old throwing a tantrum.

 

[Empty Hands]

Hunger strikes are what people do to get attention after they realize they can't hold their breath long enough to impress anyone. It is nothing more than the tactic of a two year old throwing a tantrum.

Nelson Mandela used this tactic when he was imprisoned, and it was successful in winning him better living conditions (although he was still tortured over time). Was this a two year old's tantrum?

 

[Big Don]

Nelson Mandela used this tactic when he was imprisoned, and it was successful in winning him better living conditions (although he was still tortured over time). Was this a two year old's tantrum?

Yes. The age or perceived sainthood of the person doesn't change what hunger strikes are.
Mandela isn't who you think he is, by the way.

Formed the Youth League of the African National Congress with two close friends, Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu, in 1944.
Charged with high treason along with 155 other political activists in 1956, eventually acquitted five years later.
Went underground to form the ANC military wing after the ANC was outlawed following the 1960 Sharpeville massacre.
Captured by police after more than a year on the run, convicted of sabotage and treason in June 1964 and sentenced to life in prison, initially on Robben Island.
Winnie Mandela, whom he married in 1958, campaigned for years for her husband's release.
An international campaign is launched calling for his release.
Freed from jail in 1990 after 27 years of imprisonment.
Marriage to Winnie eventually came to an end when she was convicted on charges of kidnapping and accessory to assault.

* The full list of munitions and charges read as follows:

• One count under the South African Suppression of Communism Act No. 44 of 1950, charging that the accused committed acts calculated to further the achievement of the objective of communism;

• One count of contravening the South African Criminal Law Act (1953), which prohibits any person from soliciting or receiving any money or articles for the purpose of achieving organized defiance of laws and country; and

• Two counts of sabotage, committing or aiding or procuring the commission of the following acts:

1) The further recruitment of persons for instruction and training, both within and outside the Republic of South Africa, in:

(a) the preparation, manufacture and use of explosives—for the purpose of committing acts of violence and destruction in the aforesaid Republic, (the preparation and manufacture of explosives, according to evidence submitted, included 210,000 hand grenades, 48,000 anti-personnel mines, 1,500 time devices, 144 tons of ammonium nitrate, 21.6 tons of aluminum powder and a ton of black powder);

(b) the art of warfare, including guerrilla warfare, and military training generally for the purpose in the aforesaid Republic;

(ii) Further acts of violence and destruction, (this includes 193 counts of terrorism committed between 1961 and 1963);

(iii) Acts of guerrilla warfare in the aforesaid Republic;

(iv) Acts of assistance to military units of foreign countries when involving the aforesaid Republic;

(v) Acts of participation in a violent revolution in the aforesaid Republic, whereby the accused, injured, damaged, destroyed, rendered useless or unserviceable, put out of action, obstructed, with or endangered:


(a) the health or safety of the public;
(b) the maintenance of law and order;

(c) the supply and distribution of light, power or fuel;
(d) postal, telephone or telegraph installations;
(e) the free movement of traffic on land; and
(f) the property, movable or immovable, of other persons or of the state.

Source: The State v. Nelson Mandela et al, Supreme Court of South Africa, Transvaal Provincial Division, 1963-1964, Indictment.

Are you next going to extol the virtues of Mumia Abu-Jamal? I mean, he's black, by your standard that means he must be innocent...

 

[teekin]

Big Don, Ummmm, this is the old South African Government that came up with these charges. You need to read some history of a place called Soweto and Sophiatown. Do you think there might be a reason that most of the world had issues with the Human Rights violations going on in South Africa that Nelson Mandela spoke of? Perhaps the charges were a wee tiny bit trumped up? huh? just sayin.......
lori

 

[Big Don]

Mumia is innocent too...

 

[jarrod]

Personally, I've never understood hunger strikes. They seem stupid to me. The only ones that suffer are the ones not eating. They don't want to eat? OK, so what? Don't eat. Enjoy your little strike there pal. Ouch, that hurts me. I'm going out for a burger now.

it got bobby sands enough attention to get elected to parliment:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Sands

hunger strikes are silly in some cases, but for prisoners they often have no other recourse.

jf

 

[Jade Tigress]

it got bobby sands enough attention to get elected to parliment:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Sands

hunger strikes are silly in some cases, but for prisoners they often have no other recourse.

jf

Interesting.

I still have a hard time getting over the thought that it's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. I suppose if people who refused to eat and were offered food regularly were quietly allowed to make that choice, obviously it would lose it's punch.

Thanks for the link. Some of the replies regarding cause have given me food for thought.

 

[morph4me]

If he doesn't want to eat, it's his decision. He should be required to go to meals with the other inmates, but if he chooses not to eat, leave him alone. He's made his decision, now let him deal with the consequences.

 

[jarrod]

Interesting.


Thanks for the link. Some of the replies regarding cause have given me food for thought.

har har har!

 

[Empty Hands]

Are you next going to extol the virtues of Mumia Abu-Jamal? I mean, he's black, by your standard that means he must be innocent...

Remarkable. :erg: