Opinion ID: 590886
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: prisoner's liberty interest in freedom from antipsychotic drugs

Text: 36 As noted, in Harper the Supreme Court reviewed a Washington regulation, Policy 600.30, which provided state inmates substantive and procedural protections from involuntary treatment with antipsychotic drugs. The Court noted that, [a]s a matter of state law, the Policy itself undoubtedly confers upon respondent a right to be free from the arbitrary administration of antipsychotic medication. Harper, 494 U.S. at 221, 110 S.Ct. at 1036. More specifically, the Court found: 37 By permitting a psychiatrist to treat an inmate with antipsychotic drugs against his wishes only if he is found to be (1) mentally ill and (2) gravely disabled or dangerous, the Policy creates a justifiable expectation on the part of the inmate that the drugs will not be administered unless those conditions exist. 38 Id. Under Wisconsin law, Wis.Admin.Code § DOC 314.08, prison officials cannot force a Wisconsin inmate to take antipsychotic drugs unless the inmate has been formally committed to a state mental health facility, either on an inpatient or outpatient basis. 4 The involuntary commitment statute, Wis.Stat.Ann. § 51.20, provides extensive procedural guarantees, most of which are the same both for state inmates and for ordinary citizens. 5 Through these statutes and regulations, Wisconsin has created for prisoners a protectible liberty interest in avoiding unwanted antipsychotic drug treatment. 39