Alaska Principal Files Lawsuit After Forced Psychiatric Commitment for Expressing Religious Beliefs
Mary Fulp, an accomplished educator and recipient of the 2022 Alaska Principal of the Year award, never imagined that professing her faith would spiral into a disturbing series of events. In January 2023, Fulp was involuntarily removed from her home, committed to a psychiatric facility, and forcibly administered psychotropic drugs. Her alleged “offense”? Sharing her love for Jesus Christ in an online video. Now, she is fighting back with a lawsuit against the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and other parties she believes violated her civil and religious rights.
This case, as reported by Freedom magazine’s John Blosser, has ignited a national debate on religious freedom, mental health systems, and individual civil liberties.
“This experience was nothing short of a nightmare for any free individual,” Fulp stated. “It represents an abuse of power, disregard for lawful processes, and an outright violation of my basic human and constitutional rights.”
Faith Expression Leads to Drastic Actions
The ordeal began on January 15, 2023, when Fulp posted a video online discussing a profound personal spiritual experience. She opened up about her love for Jesus and described receiving the gift of “speaking in tongues,” a common practice within Pentecostal and charismatic Christian communities. While deeply personal and heartfelt, the video alarmed some members of her family, who perceived it as a sign of mental instability.
Family members visited Fulp at her home to voice their concerns, but she asked them to leave. Instead of respecting her request, they contacted law enforcement. A police officer visited Fulp and, after speaking with her, found no evidence that she posed a threat to herself or others, concluding that she was of sound mind and left without further action.
Despite this, Fulp’s family persisted. They later claimed to have obtained a court order for a mandatory psychiatric evaluation. Relying on what turned out to be a forged document, officers returned, handcuffed Fulp, and transported her to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for evaluation.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Fulp recalled. “I was being taken away simply because of my testimony of faith. As I sat in the back of the police car, all I could think was, ‘I’m being punished for loving Jesus.’”
A Systemic Breakdown and Forged Evidence
Two days into her involuntary commitment, authorities made a startling discovery: the court order used to justify Fulp’s detention was fake. However, the damage had already been done. Fulp was restrained on a gurney, injected with psychotropic drugs against her will, and held in an isolated hospital room for three days. During this time, hospital staff allegedly violated her HIPAA rights by discussing her case with unauthorized individuals.
“We made a mistake by transporting her based on unverified information,” Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell admitted. “Our staff should have taken additional steps to confirm the validity of the court order. We take full responsibility for this failure and are working to ensure such incidents do not occur again.”
For Fulp, however, the apology offers little solace. “My faith is my strength, not a disorder,” she said. “Rather than respecting my religious expression, they labeled me as ‘delusional’ and accused me of being ‘religiously preoccupied.’ This prejudice drove their decisions, causing immense physical, emotional, and spiritual harm.”
A Broader Human Rights Concern
Fulp’s case has sparked widespread outrage among civil rights and religious freedom advocates. Groups such as the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) have criticized involuntary psychiatric commitments, citing them as violations of fundamental human rights.
“Involuntary detention and forced treatment policies in the U.S. are both harmful and ineffective,” CCHR declared. “This practice is often more devastating than criminal incarceration, even though the individuals involved haven’t committed any crime.”
Jan Eastgate, president of CCHR International, described the psychiatric system as “a glaring example of human rights abuse that strips individuals of their freedoms.”
Seeking Accountability and Reforms
Through her lawsuit against Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Fulp seeks not just personal justice but also broader systemic reform. Her legal team is advocating for changes to behavioral health protocols, underscoring the need to uphold patients’ legal and constitutional rights, including the right to freely practice one’s religion.
“The legal team supporting me is carefully examining every violation I endured,” Fulp said. “We aim to bring these injustices to light and set a precedent that prevents similar abuses in the future.”
Fulp’s case serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of civil liberties and the potential for misuse of authority, even within systems designed to safeguard public health. Her bravery in speaking out has inspired others to question the ethics of involuntary psychiatric treatment and demand stronger
Leave a Reply