JOB APPLICANT'S WIDOW SUES CIA OVER DRUGS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100800013-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: May 20, 1968
• Content Type: NSPR

FOIAb3b
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75-00
WASHIM.TON S1AI
Mav z n iaan
!Job A
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dues CIS Over Drugs
e willow an aughter of a
retired Marine Corps colonel
have sued the Central Intel-
ligence Agency on charges that
drugs it used in screening him
for a job led to his suicide in
January.
Three suits asking a total of
$800,000 damages were filed yes-
lerddy in U.S. District. Court
for the- Eastern District of Vir-
ginia at Norfolk.
Mrs. Edith W. Christensen,
the widow, and Linda Anne
Christensen, the daughter, filed
the suits against the United
States government.
The family resides at 4112
Thorogood Drive, Virginia
Beach,?Va.
According to the suit, Col.
James R. Christensen, who re-
tired from the Marines on June
30, was being interviewed for a
position by the CIA on Jan. 18
when he was , given certain
drugs or toxic substances which
led to his death.
It said the CIA was negligent
in that it knew or should have
known that Christensen would
be allergic to-the drugs or sub-
stance.
Christensen was found dead
Jan. 26 outside, the home of a
retired Army general he did
not know, according to William
L Shapero, the . Christensens'
attorney.
Christensen _ had been ' shot . in
the head and police ruled it
was a suicide.
The suit charged that CIA
negligence extended to"the point
that the agency failed to prop.
erly and adequately care for
Christensen after the substance
was administered. This re-
sulted in painful physical, emo-
tional and mental injury and
ills, resulting in Christensen's~
death, the suit said.
Shapero said the colonel's
general medical record indicated;
a history of allergies. He said,
the complainants did not know
the specific drug used on!
Christensen.
He said the colonel told his
family he was drugged during!
the interviewing process by thel
CIA to test his reactions under
the influence of drugs. I
Christensen, 49, had a long
record of military achievement
and was a Marine pilot with
4,700 flight hours to his credit.
Before his retirement, he last
served with the commander-in-
chief of the Atlantic fleet as
director of joint operations.
The 'three suits inclued one!
filed by Mrs. Christensen as,'
administratrix of the estate,
asking $500,000; one filed by her
as widow, seeking $250,000, and '
one filed by the daughter, ask-
ing $50 000. There are two other'
childreft, both?'adultg. e
CPYRGHT
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75-00149R000100800013-2