Posted by jay on December 28, 2001, at 13:50:14
In reply to Dr. Thomas Szasz found guilty? » jay, posted by Mitchell on December 28, 2001, at 0:13:50
> > > > A landmark legal precedent was set when Thomas Szaz told one of his patients to stop his medications, and the guy ended up hanging himself with battery cables. Szaz was found guilty of a number of charges, including incompetence, failure to provide necessary medical treatment, and numerous other charges.
>
> Can you please tell me more about the case in which you say Thomas S. Szasz, M.D. was found guilty? I would like to review the case to which you refer. Can you tell me when and in what state this case was tried? If you cannot cite the case, can you direct me to the source where you found information that suggested Dr. Szasz had been found guilty of "incompetence"?
>
> I suppose if there is much discussion of this, it should be redirected to Pscyhosocial, but I wanted to pose the question here, since your reference to legal action against Szasz is posted here.
>
> It would surprise me if, had there been civil or criminal actions against this prominent and controversial professor, I could find no reference to the case on the Internet.
Hi:It is documented in Kay Redfield Jamison's book "Night Falls Fast". 1994, State of New York Vs. Thomas Szaz. The court ruled Szaz had to pay $650,000 to the widow of one of his patients he told to stop taking his lithium, who then commited suicide with battery cables a few months later. Szaz also "failed to render psychiatric medical care and treatment in conformity with customary and accepted sound standards of medical care."...and numerous other similar charges. It was also the American Psychiatric Association's insurance that paid his charge, and as much as he hated the organization, he belonged to it.
The case trial number, and all, are in
Redfield's book. Why would you even think of questioning that this guy could be found guilty of negligence is way beyond me.Jay
poster:jay
thread:86991
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88049.html