American Citizen Forced to Have Weekly Electroshock Against His Will From His Own Home

MindFreedom International — 7 November 2008
Human Rights Alert: Involuntary Electroshock
http://www.mindfreedom.org – please forward

    If it’s Wednesday, then Ray Sandford is Getting
    Escorted from His Home for Another Forced Electroshock

    Minnesota Resident Gets Involuntary Electroconvulsive
    Therapy (ECT) On A Weekly Ongoing *Outpatient* Basis

    ACTION: How You Can Easily E-mail Minnesota Governor

    by David W. Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International

The past Wednesday morning after the historic USA election what were 
you doing?

I know what Ray Sandford, 54, was doing.

Each and every Wednesday, early in the morning, staff shows up at 
Ray’s sheltered living home called Victory House in Columbia Heights, 
Minnesota, adjacent to Minneapolis.

Staff escorts Ray the 15 miles to Mercy Hospital.

There, Ray is given another of his weekly electroconvulsive therapy 
(ECT) treatments, also known as electroshock. All against his will. 
On an outpatient basis.

And it’s been going on for months.

Ray says the weekly forced electroshocks are “scary as hell.” He 
absolutely opposes having the procedure. He says it’s causing poor 
memory for names such as of friends and his favorite niece. “What am 
I supposed to do, run away?” Instead, Ray phoned his local library’s 
reference desk to ask about human rights groups, and the librarian 
referred him to MindFreedom International.

Ray called me at our office here at MindFreedom International about 
two weeks ago. At first I wasn’t sure I believed him.

Of course, MindFreedom International has documented proven cases of 
electroshock against the expressed wishes of the subject all over the 
world, including in the USA. MindFreedom succeeded in having the 
United Nations World Health Organization call in writing for a global 
ban on all involuntary electroshock.

But this is the first time I’ve been on the phone with someone 
getting court-ordered forced shock while living out in the community, 
on an outpatient basis.

This is the ultimate double whammy.

I confirmed Ray’s story by calling two staff at Victory House as well 
as his court-appointed conservator, Tonya Wilhelm of Luthern Support 
Services of Minnesota.

Ms. Wilhelm said, “We are following the letter of the law.” She said 
the State of Minnesota had secured a variety of court orders that 
require Ray to have forced electroshock against his expressed wishes. 
Ms. Wilehlm says it’s all legal and she can’t do anything about it.

Krista Erickson, chair of MindFreedom’s Shield Campaign, sees it 
differently. “This is terrible. This is a serious human rights 
violation that should stop. I hope MindFreedom members and supporters 
speak out. Even if Minnesota is following the letter of the current 
law, the law ought to be changed. And Ray has not had the legal power 
to appeal to higher courts.”

I pointed out to Conservator Wilhelm that the public — when they 
find out about forced electroshock — is passionately opposed to 
their taxpayer money being used to force such brutality on citizens. 
Ms. Wilhelm did let slip that what is happening to Ray — involuntary 
outpatient electroshock — is not that uncommon in Minnesota.

But when Ms. Wilhelm found out we at MindFreedom are issuing one of 
our public human rights alert to you and others, at Ray’s repeated 
request, she said something chilling.

Ms. Wilhelm claimed she had a legal right to stop MindFreedom!

Ms. Wilhelm told me, “Only I can give you permission legally to say 
anything publicly about this.”

I pointed out we are not a medical facility, and that if she falsely 
claims we’re doing anything illegal then this is defamation. Which 
really is illegal.

Ms. Wilhelm laughed loudly in the phone, said “let our lawyers talk,” 
and hung up on me. I hope she hung up to read the First Amendment.

Let’s disobey Ms. Wilhelm!

Spread Ray’s alert far and wide! Speak out against this electrical 
torture, now!

Because… Remember… While the world marvels at the power of USA 
democracy:

If it’s Wednesday morning, then Ray Sandford is being led from his 
home — which is supposed to be his castle — to get another weekly 
forced procedure that can cause brain damage and wipe out memories.

- David W. Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mind your freedom. Disobey Ray’s conservator now!

Forward this alert to all appropriate places on and off the Internet, 
IMMEDIATELY!

And take the *below* actions. Thank you. Ray and I are counting on you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

      * * * ACTION * * * ACTION * * * ACTION * * *

You can do this in a moment. It’s free! DO IT NOW!

E-mail your firm but polite message to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

SAMPLE MESSAGE — your own words are best:

“Investigate the weekly involuntary outpatient electroshock of Ray 
Sandford. Every Wednesday morning, MindFreedom says Ray is brought 
from Victory House in Columbia Heights, Minnesota to Mercy Hospital 
for forced electroshock. Stop all forced electroshock today! Taxpayer 
money should not fund torture!” [Your name/contact.]

E-mail address: tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us

Or use this handy web form:

http://www.governor.state.mn.us/contacts/Forms/askthegovernor/index.htm

or this link:

http://tinyurl.com/mn-governor

~~~~~~~~~~~~

      * * * ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO SUPPORT RAY! * * *

1) E-mail a complaint to Luthern Social Services of Minnesota (LSSMN) 
about Ray’s conservator.

Sample message:

“Investigate allegations that LSSMN employee Tonya Wilhelm tried to 
stop a public human rights alert by MindFreedom International about 
her client, Ray Sandford, who is receiving weekly outpatient 
involuntary electroshock at Mercy Hospital in Minneapolis. If 
verified, please reprimand, fire and replace Ms. Wilhelm, and please 
place this in her permanent personnel record. Please support human 
rights.” [Your name/contact.]

Use LSSMN’s web page:

http://www.lssmn2.org/contact_lss.htm

Or phone Luthern Social Services at: (218) 726-4888

You can copy your message to headquarters of The Evangelical Lutheran 
Church in America (ELCA):

info@elca.org

 From ELCA’s web site about their church: “It’s a story of a powerful 
and patient God who has boundless love for all people of the world, 
who brings justice for the oppressed.”

More at:

http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe.aspx

2) E-mail a complaint to Allina Hospital and Clinics, owner of Mercy 
Hospital.

Sample message:

“Investigate allegations that your patient Ray Sandford of Victory 
House is receiving involuntary outpatient electroconvulsive therapy 
against his will each Wednesday at Mercy Hospital.”

Use this web page:

http://www.allina.com/ahs/help.nsf/page/contact

Or phone: (763) 236-6000

3) Ray is open to visitors and supportive postal mail:

Ray Sandford
Victory House
4427 Monroe St.
Columbia Heights, MN 55421-2880 USA

MindFreedom will print out and mail to Ray some of your e-mail 
messages to the Governor and others, and put some on the web. E-mail 
a copy of what you write to news@mindfreedom.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND ONE MORE THING!

Say “no” to mental health system censorship!

Disobey Ray’s conservator now!

PLEASE forward this public human alert to all appropriate places on 
and off the Internet, IMMEDIATELY! Thank you!