Rape victim sues

A rape survivor with bipolar discorder is suing officials in Harris County, Texas who kept her imprisoned for a month over the Christmas holidays to ensure she would testify against her attacker in court. Jenny, who is in her mid20s, often had panic attacks and ‘‘severe ups and downs’’, her mother said. While testifying last December, Jenny suffered what the lawsuit describes as a ‘‘mental breakdown’’, and went outside to smoke a cigarette in a bid to calm her nerves. But she walked into traffic, and an ambulance was called to take her to a nearby hospital so her mental health could be stabilised. When she was discharged, an officer arrived, handcuffed her and took her to the county jail under a ‘‘writ of attachment’’ – a tactic sometimes used to control witnesses who are considered flight risks.