Crime & Safety
Lawsuit: Local Man Isolated 263 Days in Psych Ward
Peter Minich was "continuously deprived of almost all human contact and exercise for more than 6,300 hours."
A Brookline woman recently filed a lawsuit claiming her son was isolated for thousands of hours at Bridgewater State Hospital since January 2013.
Joanne Minich claimed her 31-year-old son, Peter, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was "continuously deprived of almost all human contact and exercise for more than 6,300 hours," according to the Associated Press. That equates to about 263 days.
Minich's lawyer said Peter was secluded for bothering another patient and yelling, among other reasons.
Find out what's happening in Brooklinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The state Department of Correction, which was named in the suit, said such seclusion is a "last resort to protect patients from each other, from themselves and to keep staff safe," according to the AP.
Find out what's happening in Brooklinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here
