So there is a precedent, although this is for people who’ve broken the law, not just happen to suffer from an illness. But we also have a scheme for those requiring tuberculosis medication and I think that is also compulsory (though going to get diagnosed is not).

IIRC, it was being looked at as an offshoot of Kendra’s Law (NY), where a series of violent schizophrenic episodes (by different schizophrenics) resulted in the deaths of innocent bystanders (you might remember a couple different people were pushed into the path of NY subway trains). Kendra’s Law allows for mandatory out-patient psychotherapy, but does not have a prescription mandate. Later incidents, in both countries, were believed to have a strong correlation to the lack of prescription treatment progam management.

It was believed that schizophrenics would either stop taking their meds because of the side effects or they would believe themselves “cured” because of the efficacy of the prescription treatment, and stop taking their meds. Needless to say, the symptoms of their illness would soon return, and the problems along with them.

Of course, the effort hasn’t gone beyond the discussion point. Though, I believe with the UK’s health program, they would have a much better shot of actually pulling such legislation off, in a practical sense. As a US citizen who firmly believes all my fellow citizens have the protection of the constitution, I’m of two minds about this. I don’t believe anyone should be forced to take medication against their will. Where is the line drawn? OTOH, not wanting myself or my loved ones to be pushed in front of a subway train or shot and killed in a movie theatre or in the vicinity of a function serving the American political process, serves as an increasingly compelling argument. It’s a pretty awful choice anyway you look at it.

And the pattern is becoming well established with each occurrence; mass murderers most often have a psychiatric history, and are prescribed medications to treat their mental illness. Labeling of these meds often warn about the potential for suicide or violence. In this instance, it will be interesting to learn who might have dropped the ball.

I’d argue that psychiatry isn’t a science; treatment is often trial and error, not to mention that an uncooperative patient may fail to regularly take his meds. The data and evidence are piling up….there is an opportunity with each instance of mayhem for law and medicine to come together to clearly define how mental illness / insanity exists in overlapping circles in the context of criminal acting out.

Thank you, Fred, for putting up the CO statute; if any good comes from this horrific event, it will be the focus of well-intentioned lawmakers to interpret and make provisions for all future occurrences.

But, every article I’ve read has stated Holmes “was under the care of” which is a professional health (medical/mental) relationship. As such, and by having made the initial contact with the threat-assessment team, she holds the ethical/legal responsibility, so far as she knew (as was mentioned, was there a specific threat, and if so, were there identifiable victims).
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I believe the difference in degrees, makes a difference, as well. An English professor is not going to be held to the same standards as a medical/psychology professor. Their legal repsonsibilities are not only held towards the school, but within their own licensures.

I suspect he was her patient because, in addition to her teaching duties as a professor in the Medical School, she runs the Student Mental Health program and she specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.

I suspect he may have sought treatment at Student Mental Health when he started to experience the symptoms of schizophrenia.

The bottom line is I do not know and am unlikely to know until the gag order is lifted.

Holmes: Why the Prosecution is Waiting to Decide Whether to Seek the Death Penalty

State legislatures have two primary functions. The first is to ensure that insurance companies do not pay claims for anything, ever. The second is to ensure that every mentally ill person with a sense of victimization is armed.

In those state with a Republican governor and legislature, the legislature has a third responsibility; restricting voting rights.

Things like fairness, justice, protecting citizens just ain’t in it.