Man wrongly taken into custody, forced to take antipsychotic drugs, attorney says

A Meadville man is suing over a case of mistaken identity.

Eugene Wright, 63, says he still has nightmares after what happened to him just six months ago.

Wright, now retired, said he was outside his home in June of last year when Meadville police and a representative with Stairways Behavioral Health confronted him.

"They explained to me earlier that day at 10 a.m. I was at an orthopedic office threatening people. I was at work," Wright said.

He said they never checked his identity, but instead police took him to Meadville Medical Center.
Wright kept insisting they had the wrong person.

According to a federal civil lawsuit filed Wednesday, doctors injected Wright with Haldol, an antipsychotic medication and Ativan, which is used to treat anxiety disorders.

"I was powerless. I had no control of what was going on down there," Wright said.

Doctors later realized they had the wrong Eugene Wright, apologized and gave him a $50 gift card to a steakhouse.

Now he suing the police department, the medical center and Stairways Behavioral Health to send a message.

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Man wrongly taken into custody, forced to take antipsychotic drugs, attorney says