U.S. District Court: INVOLUNTARY MEDICATION.

Dancy v. Simms, 116 F.Supp.2d 652 (D.Md. 2000). A state prison inmate sued correctional officials and others, alleging they forcibly administered psychotropic medication without his consent. The court granted summary judgment for the defendants, finding that the alleged forcible administration without a hearing, on 22 occasions over a two-year period, did not violate the inmate's due process rights because the decisions were made in the exercise of professional medical judgement and arose in the context of emergency situations. The inmate did not contest evidence of particular incidents when his behavior was abusive, self-injurious, or violent. (EMSA Correctional Care, Inc., Patuxent Institution, Maryland)