Police- False information was used to commit man to psychiatri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- An affidavit used to commit protester Joe Hurley to a psychiatric facility contained false information, Springfield police acknowledge.

"Look how easy it is to get someone thrown into the nuthouse in America these days," said Hurley's attorney, Mel Gilbert of Buffalo.

Hurley, of Urbana, was committed to a Joplin psychiatric facility in May after trying to stage a second protest at the federal courthouse in Springfield. He wants a stronger investigation into the possibility of other accomplices in the Oklahoma City bombing.

After his first protest April 23, Hurley was sent to Cox Medical Center North for a 96-hour involuntary commitment.

After the second failed demonstration in July, Springfield police Cpl. Jim Edwards signed an affidavit -- based on second- and third-hand information -- for the state Department of Mental Health. Among other things, it said Hurley had called Springfield police May 8 and told them he was bringing an "inert bomb" to do "what he needed to do"; and that he was going to "drop a bomb" on some item he had in his truck.

"It is apparent that Mr. Hurley is suffering from serious psychological problems and has shown his willingness to manufacture explosive-type devices and transport these devices to the property of the federal courthouse," Edwards wrote.

But a tape Hurley's 911 call, obtained by Gilbert, shows he made none of those threats. Hurley told the 911 operator his name and that he was on his way to the federal courthouse. "I'm not going to burn anything but I'm just goin' down there to do a protest and I told those guys I'd tell 'em when I was on my way. ...

"It'll be a peaceful protest, but I'm gonna be out there in front of the courthouse with some signs protesting the Department of Justice. OK?"

During Hurley's April 23 protest, he held a lighter to a gasoline-soaked effigy of an ATF agent and told officers, "Back up or I'll blow!"