By Paige St. John
LA Times
SACRAMENTO — California’s top prison doctor defends the court order to allow the force feeding of inmates on a 44-day hunger strike, saying that it gives physicians flexibility to make life-or-death decisions under difficult circumstances.
However, a medical expert on prison hunger strikes says allowing prison doctors to disregard patient directives and revive and even feed protesters against their will is “medically inappropriate.”
The order issued by U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson on Monday allows physicians to decide if an inmate is sincere in refusing medical care. The order invalidates all “do not resuscitate” orders that hunger strikers signed just before or during the protest that began July 8
The Corrections Department on Tuesday said 45 inmates have refused food since July 8, and 49 others have refused meals for a shorter period.
Full story: Prison hunger strike: Medical chief says order allows key decisions