PsychRights To Appeal Dismissal of Qui Tam Claims

http://psychrights.org/pr/101015AttyFeeMotionNR.pdf

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
October 15,2010 Jim Gottstein 907-274-7686

jim.gottstein@psychrights.org

Medicaid Fraud Defendants Seek Almost $325,000 in Legal Fees and Costs After Court Dismissed Case Because PsychRights is Not In It for The Money

On October 14, 2010, Osamu Matsutani, Providence Hospital, Anchorage Community Mental Health Services and other defendants in U.S. ex rel PsychRights v. Matsutani et al., filed for almost $325,000 in legal fees and costs against the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights (PsychRights®). This was in the wake of the case's dismissal in late September on the grounds that government officials already know about the industry-wide fraud and are allowing it to continue. In that decision, the district decided the case could not go forward because,

the Government already "has pursued False Claims Act cases and achieved extremely large recoveries against drug companies for causing the presentment of claims to Medicaid for prescriptions of psychotropic drugs that are not for medically accepted indications, including Geodon and Seroquel for use in children and youth." Thus, . . . the Government already knows about the conduct . . . . [1]

That decision is on appeal.

A primary reason why these defendants assert they should be paid their attorney's fees is because PsychRights is bringing these cases to protect children and youth from the massive harm caused by these drugs, rather than for the money. Jim Gottstein, the president of PsychRights, said PsychRights will oppose the attorney's fees and costs requests.

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The Law Project for Psychiatric Rights is a public interest law firm devoted to the defense of people facing the horrors of forced psychiatric drugging and electroshock. PsychRights is further dedicated to exposing the truth about psychiatric interventions and the courts being misled into ordering people subjected to these brain and body damaging drugs and electroshock against their will. Due to massive growth in psychiatric drugging of children and youth and the current targeting of them for even more psychiatric drugging, PsychRights has made attacking this problem a priority. It is an unfolding national tragedy of immense proportions. Extensive information about the tragic damage caused psychiatric drugs and electroshock is available on the PsychRights web site: http://psychrights.org/.

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[1] Page 21 in Docket No. 163, United States ex rel Law Project for Psychiatric Rights v. Matsutani et.al, No. 3:09-cv-80.

[1] Page 21 in Docket No. 163, United States ex rel Law Project for Psychiatric Rights v. Matsutani et.al, No. 3:09-cv-80.