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| Judge fights for inmate's life |
| By The Express-Times |
| Published: 04/26/2005 |
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A Northampton County (Pa.) judge has ordered a prisoner on an 11-day hunger strike to receive intravenous fluids and "life-sustaining" psychotropic drugs against his will. Anthony Benozich told Judge Edward G. Smith on Monday that he won't eat because he wants to die. The 34-year-old Bethlehem man was brought to Northampton County prison 11 days ago because he was trespassing in the E.W. Fairchild-Martindale Library on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem. "I'd like to kill myself," Benozich told Smith. Smith said Benozich must be transferred to a psychiatric facility as soon as possible. Because a bed might not be available for weeks, the judge said he had to act now to prevent Benozich from dying while waiting to get psychiatric help. "I will not force the justice system to be a willing participant in this suicide," Smith said. Director of Corrections Todd Buskirk said prisoners occasionally go on hunger strikes, but in his 22 years with the prison, he has never seen one last long enough to require court-ordered nourishment. A psychiatrist has met with Benozich twice a week since he was incarcerated, but Benozich has refused all treatment, food and water, Buskirk said. It would take at least a week to have Benozich involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility, said Northampton County Court Administrator James Onembo. PrimeCare, which is contracted by the prison to administer health care to inmates, estimates Benozich will die in a few days without food and water. Buskirk had hoped Benozich would voluntarily end his hunger strike, but when Benozich refused to budge, the prison went to court to try to save his life. "You want to hold out as long as possible to protect the interests of the defendant," said acting Warden Scott Hoke, who appeared in court Monday. State sentencing guidelines call for probation for Benozich's criminal trespass charge. However, defense attorney Dwight Danser would not allow Benozich to plead guilty until mental health experts determine whether he is competent to stand trial. |
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