Regional news
McNabb returned to county jail
An inmate who is attempting to commit suicide by starving himself to death was transferred Tuesday to Sacred Heart Medical Center, but he was returned to the Spokane County Jail after medical staff determined he was not near death.
Charles Robert McNabb, 50, has not eaten solid food since Feb. 5, except for three days while at Eastern State Hospital, according to court records.
McNabb faces one count of first-degree arson and six counts of first-degree assault in connection with a May 23, 2003, fire in which his 17-year-old stepdaughter suffered burns over about a quarter of her body.
Spokane County obtained a court order to force-feed McNabb as soon as his condition becomes critical. Based on weight loss and a diminished mental state, Jail Commander Dick Collins made that call Tuesday morning, sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said.
“Doctors who administer the involuntary feeding will ultimately make that decision” to start feeding McNabb, Reagan said.
“The problem for us is that our doctor says that when he nears critical condition, his body may shut down and we may be at a point where medical science can’t save him.”
McNabb’s civil attorney, David Blair-Loy, has asked the State Court of Appeals to overturn the county’s court order. Blair-Loy has argued that McNabb has absolute control, based on individual autonomy, liberty and dignity, over what goes into his body.
County attorneys have argued that state law compels them to keep McNabb alive for his July 14 trial.
SCC anti-smoking proposal withdrawn
A student-led $100,000 proposal to get smokers away from building entrances at Spokane Community College was withdrawn from Tuesday’s community college trustees meeting.
SCC student senator Andrew Gibbs announced the completed proposal at last month’s trustee meeting. The student government already approved the plan, which only needed an OK by the trustees to get started.
The proposal was pulled instead of going to a vote.
The proposal included creating four $20,000 smokers shelters, 34 stand-alone ashtrays and 40 signs telling people of a policy proposed by Gibbs that would prohibit smoking within 25 feet of buildings.
After Gibbs’ proposal was made public last month, students began voicing their concerns, SCC President Steve Hanson said. The issue will be revisited in the fall, he said.
“A lot of the concern was that it was a lot of money for the shelters,” said Tim McLean, SCC’s incoming student body president.
McClean said he’d first work on establishing a campus smoking policy during the summer and will revisit the smoking shelter issue in the fall.