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Landmark Cases

Case Name: Charles Laverne SINGLETON v Larry NORRIS,

Director, Arkansas
Department of Correction,

Date, Location, Cite: 2003 AR
No. 00-1492
8th Circuit Court of Appeals

Chas Singleton was convicted of capital murder. He was psychotic, forced to take meds as per Harper. He claimed a Ford v. Waingright to not execute the insane, but then became sane with Rx. Origianlly the court agreed to a perment stay, commuted to life without. The District Attorney appealed, and the entire Appeals court reviewed, said pt was chosing to take meds to help himself, if he got executed out of it, too bad. Patient says he has right to treatment to his "ultimate good," not including death.

Court said the core of the dispute: whether the antipsychotic medication
is medically appropriate for Singleton’s treatment. (They are not Doctors, and how can they make this decision??) Decided it was, tho' it leads to death.