An inmate in a Connecticut prison isn’t eating and will tell a judge Thursday that he should have the power to keep on starving.
William Coleman, 48, a convicted rapist, has been on a hunger strike for 16 months and prison officials want to be able to force-feed him, hence the court case.
The hearing in Hartford Superior Court resumes for a third day Thursday.
Prison officials have force-fed Coleman at least a dozen times in recent months. They need to ensure prisoners' health and safety, they said, so they want a permanent court order to continue force-feeding him.
Coleman says he's protesting a corrupt judicial system.
His lawyers say force-feeding violates his rights to refuse medical treatment and exercise free speech.
A bioethics expert testified last week that he believes prison doctors acted unethically when they force-fed Coleman.
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Coleman, the former women's soccer coach at Central Connecticut State University, is serving an eight-year prison sentence.
