Hospital violated court order: Lawyer

Cheryl Miller goes home

Senior Counsel Stanley Marcus told reporters Friday he is happy with the court order granting the temporary release of Cheryl Miller from the St Ann's Psychiatric Hospital. However he said the hospital violated a court-ordered habeas corpus writ by faling to have Miller present in the courtroom.

"It was a contempt of the court. The court's order, signed by the Registrar, should have been obeyed or a satisfactory reason given for her absence," he said.

Marcus said officials did not give Justice Vashist Kokaram a reason for not obeying the court's orders.

"The lady was incarcerated for 15 days. Her constitutional rights have been infringed; it is a matter of liberty," he said. "I will be filing a constitutional motion or a common-law action. The action is just a matter of getting over the weekend," Marcus said.

He said hospital authorities took away Miller's newspaper and only allowed visitors at 15-minute intervals.

Marcus said the state'w attorney sole argument in the matter was that Miller was removed from her office under Section 15, which states "someone could be taken away if they were found wandering in a public space." He noted that that rule does not apply to a person at work in an office. "This is not the end of the matter," he added.