JusticeWillBeServed
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Utah judge to weigh forced medication in murder trial
http://www.sltrib.com/home/4718560-155/forced-medication-hearing-set-for-accused
http://www.sltrib.com/home/4718560-155/forced-medication-hearing-set-for-accused
A March hearing has been set to argue whether a Utah man accused of kidnapping, raping and killing a 6-year-old West Jordan girl four years ago should be forcibly medicated to make him competent to stand trial.
Terry Lee Black's defense team opposes forced medication.
But a motion filed by prosecutors in October claims that forcing Black to take anti-psychotic medication is necessary for restoring him to competency, is unlikely to have adverse side affects, and that it is improbable that less intrusive alternatives would achieve the same results.
The prosecution's motion quotes a Utah State Hospital doctor, who said that of the patients admitted to the treatment unit of the hospital over the last 16 years, only four have been restored to competency without the use of anti-psychotic medication, and one of those was later returned to the hospital for being incompetent.