Trial Rights and Psychotropic Drugs: The Case against Administering Involuntary Medications to a Defendant during Trial

Klein, Dora W., Vanderbilt Law Review

I. INTRODUCTION

The right of an accused in a criminal trial to due process is, in essence, the right to a fair opportunity to defend against the State's accusations.1

Those who have experienced the full thrust of the power of government when leveled against them know that the only protection the citizen has is in the requirement for a fair trial.2

[I]nvoluntary medication with antipsychotic drugs poses a serious threat to a defendant's right to a fair trial.3

On July 24, 1998, Russell Weston shot and killed two police officers, and wounded a third, near a security checkpoint in the United States Capitol building.4 Reportedly, Weston's goal was to gain …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Trial Rights and Psychotropic Drugs: The Case against Administering Involuntary Medications to a Defendant during Trial. Contributors: Klein, Dora W. - Author. Journal title: Vanderbilt Law Review. Volume: 55. Issue: 1 Publication date: January 2002. Page number: 165+. © Vanderbilt Law Review Jan 2009. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.