CCHR Florida Brings School Hero Suit of Mental Health Centers Over Parkland Violence to Attention of the Public

CLEARWATER, Fla., April 26, 2018 -- The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, (CCHR) a mental health watchdog group founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz, noted that a survivor of Nikolas Cruz’s February rampage through the Parkland high school, has named several mental health treatment centers as plaintiffs in the tragedy [1] yet this is not being broadly publicized. Three other survivors and the family of one of the murder victims have also indicated an intention to file lawsuits.

The first suit was filed in Broward Circuit Court last week by Anthony Borges, the teenage hero struck by five bullets while blocking a doorway during the attack.  Among the named defendants three psychiatric facilities cited for negligence - Henderson Behavioral Health, the Jerome Golden Center for Behavioral Health and the South County Mental Health Center. [2]

According to the lawsuit, Cruz, who has been charged with 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder, was under frequent care by mental health practitioners during the five years preceding the shooting in Parkland including treatment for ADHD. [3] While the exact treatment is not stated in the suit, psychiatric drugs are commonly given to children, adolescents and adults labeled with ADHD despite the fact that there are no scientific studies that prove ADHD medications work or are even safe to use long term. [4]

Even more disturbing is that per a report published by CCHR International, researchers broke down the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System data and of 484 prescription drugs identified, 31 were disproportionately associated with violence, 25 of which were psychotropic drugs. The findings, published in Public Library of Science ONE, revealed the cases of violence included: homicide, physical assaults, physical abuse, and homicidal ideation.

“We have abundant expert research demonstrating that psychiatric drugs create dependence, suicide and violence in a percentage of those taking them,” said Diane Stein, President of Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida. “The causal relation between psychiatric drugs and school violence is no longer in question.”

CCHR published the recent international report, “Psychiatric Drugs Create Violence & Suicide: School Shootings & Other Acts of Senseless Violence” which documents the history of these acts since the late ‘80’s for the purpose of helping law enforcement, educators and policy makers learn how psychotropic drugs are a hidden link to the prevalence of violence and suicide in the community. In this report CCHR is clear that not every violent killer has been on or withdrawing from a psychotropic drug at the time of committing a crime, but in many cases such drugs emerge when learning of the killer’s background.[5]

About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHR’s mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. It was L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, who brought the terror of psychiatric imprisonment to the notice of the world. In March 1969, he said, “Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the ‘free world’ tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of ‘mental health.’” For more information visit, www.cchrflorida.org

Sources:

[1] Hero student Anthony Borges files first lawsuit in Parkland school shooting http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-reg-florida-school-shooting-first-lawsuit-20180417-story.html
[2] Washington Post Feb 15, 2018 – Kevin Sullivan, William Wan, Julie Tate
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/timeline-parkland-shooter-nikolas-cruz/?utm_term=.e558379e6dff
[3] Taxpayers will keep footing the bill to defend Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz
 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-reg-parkland-shooting-cruz-public-defender-20180424-story.html
[4] Are ADHD Medications Overprescribed?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444301704577631591596516110
[5] Psychiatric Drugs Create Violence & Suicide: School Shootings & Other Acts of Senseless Violence https://www.cchrint.org/pdfs/violence-report.pdf

Media Contact:
Diane Stein
President, CCHR Florida
727-442-8820
[email protected]
www.cchrflorida.org