1 May 2007

Statement on Cho and Full Disclosure

by David Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International

The Roanoke Times in Virginia hasreported that the Virginia Medical Examiner will refuse to releaseresults of a toxicology examination of Cho. Given the magnitude of thishorrible catastrophe, MindFreedom calls for full and completetransparency about all relevant aspects of this investigation. Such a toxicologyreport could shed light on whether or not Cho was in fact onpsychiatric drugs at the time of the shootings.

While a finding that Cho had been on psychiatric drugs may not explain the entire cause to the shootings, certainly whether or not Cho was on Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s), which according to multiple scientific reports may contribute to aggressive behavior, is important to know.

Opponents of our human rights are exploiting this tragedy to call for more forced psychiatric drugging. Cho had apparently been under involuntary outpatient commitment. If he was following medical orders and taking prescribed psychiatric drugs, this would also be revealing about the effectiveness of forcibly drugging our constituency in our own homes.

In fact, despite multiple media reports that psychiatric drugs were found among Cho’spossessions, authorities have not released a conclusive statement aboutwhether they found such drugs, or what type of drugs they may be.

MindFreedomis working with an attorney and its affiliate MindFreedom Virginia tofile a Freedom of Information Act in the public interest to requestresults of the toxicology and autopsy reports. A Virginia law passedjust before the shooting would prohibit such a public release ofinformation using the Freedom of Information Act, but this law does notgo into effect until July.

MindFreedom also calls for acongressional investigation of the mental health industry, especiallycriminal corruption, fraud and control by the pharmaceutical industryof mental health care today.

Cover-ups are not healthy for anyone’s minds in our society, whatever the month.