"In State ex rel. Schuetzle v. Vogel, 537 N.W.2d 358, 360-61 (N.D.1995), the Supreme Court of North Dakota determined that the state could force-feed and administer insulin to a diabetic prisoner who refused to eat or take medicine. Finding that the prisoner attempted this to "manipulate the system and ... blackmail ... prison officials"; (internal quotation marks omitted) id., at 360; the court ruled that "the state's interest in orderly prison administration is the controlling factor here...." Id., at 361. This issue has arisen in federal cases in the specific context of civil contemnors trying to circumvent the judicial process. A civil contemnor being held for refusing to testify before a grand jury went on a hunger strike for political and religious reasons. In re Grand Jury Subpoena John Doe v. United States, 150 F.3d 170, 171 (2d Cir.1998) (per curiam). In a very brief opinion, the court held that "the district court's force-feeding order ... does not violate a hunger-striking prisoner's constitutional rights.... Although Doe, as a civil contemnor, has been convicted of no crime, the institution where he is housed is still responsible for his care while incarcerated. Other compelling governmental interests, such as the preservation of life, prevention of suicide, and enforcement of prison security, order, and discipline, outweigh the constitutional rights asserted by Doe in the circumstances of this case." Id., at 172. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has also addressed this issue in the context of a civil contemnor, focusing on preventing the contemnor from undermining the judicial process. In re Sanchez, 577 F.Supp. 7 (S.D.N.Y.1983). The court held that "Sanchez is, by his own admission, attempting to bring maximum pressure to bear upon the Judge who will ultimately rule upon his motion to vacate the contempt order. Moreover, the prolongation of this hunger strike will soon render Mr. Sanchez physically or mentally incapable of testifying before the grand jury, thereby rendering further coercive sanctions futile. In one sense, therefore, Mr. Sanchez is attempting to escape from prison and to frustrate the lawful authority of the courts. This is a purpose that we cannot condone." Id., at 9."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
p.170
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Force-feeding
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Force-feeding
120 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Force-feeding →
Related Quotes
"The American Medical Association and the Red Cross both condemn force-feeding as a form of torture. And yet, the U.S.…"
"1914 New York World magazine article. Barnes wrote, "If I, play acting, felt my being burning with revolt at this bru…"
"In 2013, a mass hunger strike took place in Guantanamo Bay as a response to the indefinite detention and unjust treat…"
"Dec. 30, 2005 – At least 46 people held at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba detention camp joined a disputed number of fellow…"
"A man jailed in the US for trying to blow up an airliner with explosives hidden in his shoes has gone on hunger strik…"
"A government lawyer said that Reid had refused 58 meals by 9 April and that prison officials decided "that medical in…"
"Six weeks into his hunger strike, Israel's parliament passed a law permitting the force-feeding of prisoners in order…"
"Romanos has not been charged with terrorism. But two cases concerning terrorism acts are still pending — a fact that …"
"When federal prison officials at British Columbia’s Matsqui Psychiatric Centre routinely examined a Doukhobor woman o…"
"Since President Obama mentioned Supermax in a speech about Guantanamo, we wanted to take you there again. It's a sort…"