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Libertarian freedom activist forcibly hospitalized and drugged
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When faced with arrest, Heicklen goes limp and silent as he did on
October 26 during his previous attempt to exercise his free speech rights
on public property. (Screen capture from YouTube video shot by Derek
DeMarco)
Veteran libertarian civil rights activist Julian Heicklen calls it "an out-and-out kidnapping" when Homeland Security Police forcibly transported him to a hospital where he was injected with Thorazine against his will.
It began shortly after Heicklen arrived at the US District Courthouse in New York City for the third Monday in a row to pass out pamphlets to prospective jurors.
The pamphlet, produced by the Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) entitled “A Primer for Prospective Jurors” informs jurors of their right to judge the law and its application as well as the facts in a case, regardless of the judge's instructions to the contrary.
As in the past, (Jury activist arrested for exercising First Amendment rights) Homeland Security police told him he couldn't do that on federal property and ordered him to leave. As in the past, Heicklen explained that the First Amendment recognized his right to do what he was doing.
Then, as Heicklen tells it in his email report to supporters, "One of them said that I was under arrest, get his hands behind his back and handcuff him."
As Heicklen always does when faced with arrest, he dropped to the ground and went limp and silent.
In the past, he was arrested, handcuffed, placed on a gurney and transported to a hospital where he was examined and eventually released in time to be home later the same day.
(Full accounts of this and his first two trips to Manhattan can be read on the New Jersey Libertarian Party website.)
But this time something different happened. "I remained in that position for over an hour," Heicklen says, "before I was lifted onto a gurney and strapped securely. I was never handcuffed nor received a citation or summons. It was an out-and-out kidnapping."
At Bellevue Psychiaytric Hospital he remained nonresponsive to questions.
Around 3:00 PM, radio reporter Chris Goldstein called to say that he would start the publicity rolling.
After 4:00 PM or so, Heicklen continues, "I made a fuss to see someone in charge, so that I could either be released or brought in front of a magistrate. My requests were ignored, and became more persistent. Against my wishes four attendants grabbed me and gave me a shot of Thorazine to calm me down. It worked, I got an excellent night’s sleep."
Heicklen asserts that Dr. Lowe, head psychiatrist for the Bellevue unit, made it a point to see that he was not interviewed the first day.
On Tuesday morning, after being interviewed by two people he identifies as psychiatrist Dr. Striker and social worker Kari Wolf, Heicklen was released at 11:55 AM, just over 24 hours after arriving at the courthouse.
Ever upbeat, Heicklen reports his release this way: "I signed all documents 'John Galt.' I was released at 11:55 AM and voted for Ken Kaplan for Governor of New Jersey on my way home.
Ken Kaplan, of course, was the Libertarian Party candidate.
Unfortunately, Heicklen's report ends on this ominous note:
Warning: You should know that The Federal Protective Service is intercepting my e-mails. Another violation of our civil liberties.
EDITORIAL COMMENT
If it's true that the government is reading all of the emails that pass between Julian and his supporters and well-wishers, let's force them to violate everyone's rights. EVERYONE who reads this article should get on Julian's email list. Make them spy on the entire American freedom movement. Maybe they'll even join us! Send your email address to jph13@psu.edu and ask Julian to add you to the "Do Not Spy On Me" list. It will be one small way you can show your support for Julian and for freedom.
This YouTube video shot by Derek DeMarco is from October 26, 2009
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