Enforced sterilization: Is that even legal?

White County Courthouse  (Photo by Brian Stansberry)

Would you trade a month of freedom for a possible lifetime of illness?  You might if under sufficient duress.

Central Tennessee Judge Sam Benningfield is offering inmates in aptly-named White County the “Sophie’s Choice” of receiving “30 days credit toward their jail time if they volunteer for vasectomies or contraceptive implants.”

The female version of such contains “the hormone device Nexplanon.”  Thirty-two women have already received these questionable implants.  Serious side effects of etonogestrel include blood clot formation, liver disease and deep depression.

Benningfield states that he does not want these inmates “to be burdened with children.”  The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee sees it differently, explaining that “judges should not play a role in a person’s ability to procreate.”  Nor should judges mess with people’s internal biological processes...

Resources

http://www.rxlist.com/nexplanon-side-effects-drug-center.htm

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/judge-to-inmates-get-sterilized-and-i%e2%80%99ll-shave-off-jail-time/ar-AAox88I?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000

Copyright July 22, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved