Attorney of Former Marine Detained for Facebook Posts Tells Beck: Psychiatrist Threatened to 'Brainwash' My Client With Meds

(UPDATE -- Blaze Exclusive: 'Orwellian': Lawyer of Former Marine Over Facebook Posts Says 20k 'Civil Commitments' Each Year in VA Part of Bigger Problem)

Earlier today, 26-year-old former U.S. Marine Brandon Raub was released from a psychiatric facility via a judge's order, who ruled that the government had no legal grounds to hold him.

Tonight on Glenn Beck's show on GBTV, soon-to-become TheBlazeTV, John Whitehead, Raub's lead attorney and president of the Rutherford Institute, gave his first interview following his client's release to discuss the case.

Whitehead told Beck that he and his organization are planning to sue over a provision in Virginia state law that allows authorities to place a person in emergency custody and hold them for four hours unless a magistrate enters a temporary detention order (TDO). Raub was held under this law, specifically Va. Code § 37.2-808, for days.

"We are getting ready to file a civil lawsuit...because [Raub] has been put through hell for a week," said Whitehead. But, he explained, "Under the civil commitment law in Virginia, the police can do this."

From a previous Blaze report:

On August 20, Raub was sentenced to up to 30 days in a psychiatric facility after he was detained by federal law enforcement on August 16 over some Facebook posts that criticized the U.S. government and questioned the official story behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He also referred to “starting a revolution.”

Whitehead said that veterans have since been contacting him from across the country claiming they too were victims of wrongful detention in psychiatric institutes like Raub. Apparently, there are civil commitment laws in other states as well, he said.

"It happens. There's about 20,000 civil commitments alone in Virginia each year," he added.

It was actually Raub's mother, who took to Facebook in a rage after he son was taken by federal and local law enforcement officers, that sounded the alarm and made the entire country aware of his situation.

"Did they have a warrant for his arrest?" Beck asked.

"No warrant for his arrest and no search warrant," Whitehead replied. "They haven't [charged him with a crime] and they're not going to."

Stunned, Beck asked how this could take place in the United States of America, where the Constitution provides protections from such things, most notably the First Amendment.

"Is this America," the attorney said. "That's what I keep asking."

To be clear, Raub is a 9/11 "truther" and harbors some pretty questionable beliefs. However, as Beck explains, Americans should defend the free speech of even the people they disagree with. "I will stand with anyone on the left for their right to express themselves in a non-violent way… especially if I find it offensive, I will stand for their right to say it," Beck said.

Further, in a surprising twist, Whitehead revealed a startling allegation that his client made regarding an incident that occurred before his release. Raub complained to his attorney that one of the psychiatrists that he was seeing threatened to "brainwash" him and force him to take medication.

"That really scared him," he said.

After soaking in all that Whitehead had shared with him, Beck reflected:

"From what I know of this story, this is an outrage. There were some things that stick out to me -- as flares of caution. But the one thing we should be reckless with is our defense of people who have opinions that we don't agree with. I've never asked for a boycott, I've never asked for someone to be fired."

He continued: "If we can't meet on the battlefield of ideas, as George Washington said, If we can't speak to each other openly, if we are paranoid and watching over our shoulder, we lose the essence of who we are and we will never be a great nation again… Buckle up, I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting ride."

Watch the entire Beck segment with Whitehead here:

This story has been updated. Front page image via Facebook.