Hospital wants payment for libertarian's forced Thorazine injection

Julian Heicklen with JURY INFO sign
is confronted by police while
distributing FIJA pamphlets on public
property, November 9, 2009.
(screenshot from a spycam video
by "bile")

Even after suffering a forced injection of a powerful antipsychotic drug at the hands of Bellevue Hospital employees in New York City during a previous outing, Julian Heicklen returned to his accustomed spot on Monday to exercise his Constitutional right to distribute fliers to prospective jurors.

The spot is a public area outside the US District Court on Pearl Street in Manhattan. The flier is "A Primer for Prospective Jurors" created by the Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) that informs people of their full rights as jurors.

In a previous Libertarian News Examiner article (Libertarian freedom activist forcibly hospitalized and drugged) Heicklen explained how he was never arrested, handcuffed, or received a citation or summons for handing out pamphlets on public property but was nevertheless transported to Bellevue Hospital where he was confined in the psychiatric ward.

"It was an out-and-out kidnapping," Heicklen insisted then and still insists now.

When he demanded to know when he would be released he was injected with Thorazine, described by WebMD as an antipsychotic drug used in the treatment of Bipolar Mania and schizophrenia.

Nearly two weeks later Heicklen unbelievably received a letter from Bellevue offering to help him settle his hospital bill if he would provide his identification and medical insurance information.

Heicklen recently elaborated on his experience to members of his "Freedom Fighters" email list by quoting from his response to the Bellevue letter:

"I was brought to your hospital on both October 26, 2009, and November 2, 2009, as a prisoner of the Department of Homeland Security. I was brought against my volition and did not request any medication or medical advice. In fact I was given a shot against my loud objections and was forcibly held by 4 men while the injection was administered."

On his most recent trip to the courthouse on Monday the proceedings returned to normal. After refusing to move on as ordered by federal marshals he was placed under arrest by Homeland Security police.

Heicklen fell to the ground and went silent and limp as usual, and as usual Officer Barnes from previous encounters confiscated his remaining handouts, his JURY INFO sign, and left him a receipt and a citation.

"He unarrested me at 12:05 pm, and the police left the scene," Heicklen reports.

This time there were two photographers and a bystander present. One photographer left when approached by the police but the other, claiming to be from the "Post" and having a permit, was not molested.

The bystander also left when confronted by the police. "Apparently standing on federal property is also an offense," Heicklen wryly commented.

But support for his efforts are building, if slowly. His Freedom Fighters list now numbers 76 names, including contributors to Liberty Works Radio Network, Free Talk Live, The Energy Roundtable, Libertarian News Examiner, and the New Jersey Libertarian Party where Newsletter Editor Len Flynn posts Heicklen's full reports.

Organizational contacts include the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU), New York Libertarians, and the national office of FIJA.

With the caveat from Heicklen that "The Federal Protective Service is intercepting my e-mails" all freedom loving people are invited to join his open or blind email list at jph13@psu.edu.

Heicklen plans criminal and civil suits against the hospital and some of its staff for kidnapping and assault.