Orlikow v. U.S.
Cite as 682 F.S. 77 (D.D.C. 1988)
80
knowledge of the enemy's theoretical potential thus enabling us
to defend ourselves against a foe who might not be as restrained
in the use of these techniques as we are.
2 Defendant's Motion Exhibit 2
Many of the early projects involved the us a of Lysergic Acid
Diethyamide (LSD) and other drugs and some involved
experimentation on unwitting human subjects. Id. 105 S.Ct. at
1884, n. 2. A few tragic deaths occurred from these actions.' Defendant
admits that as a result of one specific death, critical letters
were given by Director Dulles to the Chief, TSS, Mr. Gibbons,
the Chief of the Technical Operations Branch of TSS, Colonel
Drum, and the Chief of the Chemical Division of TSS, Dr. Gottlieb.
Defendant's Statement of Material Facts as to Which There Is No
Genuine Issue, hereinafter "Defendant's Statement" par.
20. Additionally, after the Olson death, Director Dulles "made
it clear that these projects should be handled under adequate
medical supervision." Defend-ant's Statement par. 22.
In 1955, the CIA set up a secret front organization, known as the
Society for the Investigation of Human Ecology (SIHE), to fund
further studies. CIA employee, Dr. John Gittinger and Dr. Wolff
from Cornell, assisted in the program formation. Approximately a
year later, Dr. Gittinger read an article, published in the
American Journal of Psychiatry, written by Dr. Ewen Cameron from
the Allen Memorial Institute of Psychiatry, and entitled Psychic
Driving. Defendant's Motion Exhibit 6. The article prompted him
to invite Dr. Cameron to submit an application for SIHE research
funds. Defendant's Statement pars. 31-32.
footnote 2. The memorandum refers to two "well,defined"
fields of endeavor earmarked by the CIA. The first is listed as
research to develop a capability in the covert use of biological
and chemical materials. The second field, although cited to in
the memorandum was erased from the exhibit. See, C.I.A. v. Sims,
471 U.S. 159, 105 S.Ct. 1881, 85 L.Ed.2d 173 (1985).
footnote 3. The CIA was interested in LSD research because of the
concern that the Russians or the Chinese might use it on
Americans. In the 1950s tihe drug was much less prevalent in the
U.S.A. and its effects less known. The CIA decided that it needed
to test LSD on unwitting subjects and selected certain government
employees to experiment with. One of the experi-ments involving
secret testing occurred in November 1953 when LSD was put in
liquor which was served to a group of scientists from the CIA and
the Army Special Operations. Dr. Frank Olson, one of the
subjects, fell or jumped from a hotel window soon after ingesting
the LSD. Defendant's Statement of Material Facts As to Which
There Is No Genuine Issue pars. 15-20.
The article described a technique administered to individuals who
suffered from varying forms of mental disorders. The technique
involved the playback of a significant statement made by the
patient though the use of a continuous loop tape recorder.
Certain methods were utilized to reduce defense mechanisms and
"depatterning" behavior. These techniques were later detailed in an application for research funds submitted to the SIHE. They included the use of "particularly intensive"
electroconvulsive shock, sensory isolation, and drug induced
continuous sleep for many days. The application requested funds
to improve the technique of heteropsychic driving and to
investigate the range of physiological functions which can be
changed by these procedures. Among the studies proposed were, the
use of chemical agents, including LSD, to depattern the
individual. Defendant's Motion Exhibit 7. Dr. Cameron
characterized his work as the "gateway through which he
might pass to a new field of psychotherapeutic methods."
Psychic Driving, 112 Am.J.Psy., 502 (January, 1956). Whether in
fact the methods used in Dr. Cameron's therapy, particularly
those related to "preparing" the patient for Psychic
Driving, were therapeutic, ethical or within the standard of
medical care, is a pivotai issue disputed in tnis case.
On March 4, 1957, the CIA approved the Cameron grant as MKULTRA
Subproject
68 for the period of time from March 18, 1957 to June 30, 1960.
Defendant's Statement par. 40. The nine plaintiffs 4 in this
footnote 4. Plaintiffs, all Canadians, are Mrs. David Orlikow, Mr.
Jean-Charles Page, Mr. Robert K. Logie, Mrs. Jeanine Huard, Mrs.
Lyvia Stadler, Dr. Mary Morrow, Mrs. Rita Zimmerman, Mrs.
Florence Langleben and Mr. Louis Weinstein. On April 28, 1986, Mr.
Moe Langleben was substituted as a plaintiff for Mrs. Florence
Langleben who died.