Judges unlikely to commit mentally ill

Judges unlikely to commit mentally ill

DES MOINES (AP) ? An Iowa law governing forced commitments for people with mental illness may have prevented relatives from getting help for a man who was fatally shot this week after killing a Keokuk County sheriff?s deputy.

The family of Jeffrey Krier tried to have him committed for mental health treatment a few weeks ago, the Des Moines Register reported. But, the family said, a judge denied the commitment request after Krier was assessed for several days at a Des Moines hospital.

Krier had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He was fatally shot by officers Monday after he came out of his home near Sigourney with weapons a few hours after killing Deputy Eric Stein.

Few details have emerged about why Krier?s family wanted him committed early last month. Cases like Krier?s are closed to the public.

Daniel Flaherty, an assistant Polk County attorney who specializes in mental health commitments, said the standard practice is to hold people for five to 10 days of psychiatric evaluation. Flaherty said the law purposely sets a high bar for inpatient commitment beyond that, he said.

?There has to be a real urgent necessity. For instance, they?re saying, ?I?m going to kill you,?? Flaherty said.

Iowa judges won?t commit mentally ill people to locked treatment facilities unless there?s strong evidence that those people are likely to harm themselves or others. State law says people cannot be locked up just because they are ill.

Nancy Trotter, a Des Moines lawyer who regularly works on such cases, estimated that roughly half of people who have court-ordered mental health assessments are released without further inpatient commitment.

Trotter said relatives often are disappointed by judges? decisions.

?We hear over and over again from families that are back for a second or third or fourth time,? Trotter said.

But Trotter, who usually represents people with mental illness, said the law does a good job overall of striking a balance between those people?s rights and the community?s need for protection.