US State High Court Rules Inmate has no Right to Starve Himself

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press Sunday April 13, 2008 12:56 by redjade

Washington high court rules inmate has no right to starve himself

The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Washington state constitution does not provide a right for prison inmates to starve themselves to death.

Convicted arsonist Charles R. McNabb sued the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) to stop his force-feeding. McNabb pursued his case under the Article I, Section 7 guarantee of privacy enshrined in the Washington constitution, but DOC officials argued that they had a "legal and constitutional obligation" to prevent him from starving to death. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the DOC, noting that McNabb was not on a hunger strike but was rather attempting to commit suicide via starvation....

read more at
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/04/washingto...s.php