Mental Illness: Is It a Crime?

The million dollar question is, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE?”  The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) continues to stack cases against itself, and it seems that not even the Department of Justice can force the LAPD to bring its abusive shenanigans to a halt.  According to the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice, patterns of excessive force by the LAPD were identified as early as May 2000.  Meanwhile, those patterns of excessive force continue to be perpetuated by the LAPD, as recently demonstrated in the July 22, 2012 killing of Ms. Alesia Thomas. 

Police and fire departments have been considered a “safe haven” for innocent babies for years, now.  Certainly, there was nothing criminal about a mother leaving her children at a local police department, especially when she was suffering from a mental illness and felt incapable of caring for them herself.  Why not receive the children and place them in a loving home?  Why hunt down the children's mother and beat her to death?  Is this how motherly pleas for help are rewarded in Los Angeles, California?  Well, according to the LAPD Chief of Police, who takes the tone of a good 'ole “Mr. Charlie,” the Department is not required by California statutes to disclose any evidence associated with the death of Ms. Thomas.  The Chief's tone in expressing such statement is clearly evasive and uncooperative, and lacks regard for circumstances surrounding Ms. Thomas' demise.  In fact, the Chief fails to demonstrate any compassion at all, as he refers to Ms. Thomas' death as “The July 22, 2012 incident” claiming that the investigation is still on-going.  Perhaps, future police training at LAPD should include a workshop on tact and decorum.  However, the likelihood of that happening is probably close to nil. 

Meanwhile, Ms. Thomas’ family has been unable to realize any level of peace, since there is no hope of closure, more than six months after her death.  Two children are now motherless because of the abuse and neglect of men and women who call themselves “officers of law enforcement.”  This and other cases like it are nauseating, mainly due to the blatant lack of accountability.  Someone needs to grow a pair, and rebuild the LAPD with law-abiding, disciplined, ethical police officers and leaders.  And they might want to get it down soon, before the public gets too riled up.  But then again, it may take another Rodney King-Riot, to get “those people” to get a clue about implementing justice.

Until then, the overzealous civil rights Attorney Benjamin Crump is on the job, making countless inquiries of the justice system to intercede.  Attorney Crump has managed to obtain more than 10,000 signatures for his online petition within the first day, in addition to support of the New York Times, and a LAPD officer, who witnessed the attack against Ms. Thomas and the moments following her death.  All he is asking is for the LAPD to provide a simple explanation of facts, delineating exactly what happened to Ms. Alesia Thomas on July 22, 2012, while she was in the custody of LAPD's officers.  Such a question is rather simple, even to the lay person.  Ms. Thomas' family has a right to know.  So, why does it take such a renowned attorney, known for winning lawsuits across the United States to initiate simple justice?  If each member of the LAPD is doing their job, as esteemed, competent employees and officers of law enforcement, then adequate documentation of such a serious event would be readily accessible, an assessment could be expeditiously completed, and a solution would implemented.  So again, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE and why is it taking so long to disclose all that happened to Ms. Alesia Thomas on the night of July 22, 2012?