Judge clears way for forced feeding inmate

A district court judge has granted temporary permission for prison officials to force feed a female prisoner suffering from Huntington's Chorea who authorities believe is attempting to starve herself.

District Judge Nancy Becker has scheduled a July 2 hearing on the lawsuit filed by the Corrections Corporation of America, which runs the women's prison for the state in North Las Vegas.

The lawsuit, filed by the attorney general's office, alleges that 40-year-old Terry Harger may have chosen starvation as a way of manipulating the prison system into releasing her immediately.

The court action claims she made statements to that effect to prison officials, but added that "she indicates she wants to starve herself to death."

Harger, whose weight has dropped from 112 pounds on May 6 to 94 pounds on June 18, is not eligible for parole until October 2000, the lawsuit stated.

She has taken only small amounts of food and allowed only sporadic intravenous feedings to keep her alive, the lawsuit continued.

"Prison health officials have seriously questioned the defendant's mental competency and have concluded she poses a danger to herself," the legal action stated. "Since her mental competency to make the decision to die is at issue, (the prison) is responsible for maintaining her life until her competency can be determined."

According to the lawsuit, Harger's health problems "are exacerbated by the Huntington's Chorea," a progressive neurological disease that is exhibited through uncontrollable shaking and can lead to death.

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