In Stafford County the police have arrested an 18 year old kid with Asperger's disease because he looked "dangerous." They then attacked him and threw him in jail. The reason for my outrage is twofold. First off, come February I will have a sister-in-law with Aspergers and it absolutely frightens me that this could happen - and oh yeah, she lives in Stafford County. Secondly, this kid is black. I usually don't buy into that but when someone saw a kid sitting alone in front of a library and said "he might have a gun" and he's black, one wonders?
To top it all off, the state sent him to a mental institution because he was non responsive. No shit sherlock, Aspergers is a social disorder and when someone who has it is taken away from their comfort zone they completely shut down because they do not know how to handle and/or process it. He could end up in JAIL after the scuffle with police.
I never try to say things like this because it makes me sound like I have an ego but I know people in power in this state read this blog. I'm hoping representatives for Gov. McDonnell, Attorney General Cuccinelli, Speaker Bill Howell (of Stafford), and Rep. Rob Wittman read this story about Neli and work to solve this. Its an absolute outrage that a person with a legitimate and real social disorder is being treated this way, and his family is being put through this - his step-father is a retired Army man and currently in Iraq working for a contractor. This is a patriotic American family that is being done in by ignorant authorities who jumped the gun and are doing nothing to fix this.
To repeat, someone with Aspergers will not ever respond in a manner that the police might find satisfactory. I understand what happened, but now that they know the guy has this disorder, its criminal to keep him in jail or an institution. They must be returned home where they feel comfortable or else they will completely shut down. It seems clear to me that the system is failing this kid, this family, and a legitimate case could be made that its partially based on race.
Gov. McDonnell, AG Cuccinelli, Speaker Howell, Rep. Wittman . . . this blog has supported all of you. I hope someone on your staff(s) see this and understand what an absolute disgrace this is on the commonwealth of Virginia that a disable son of a military family is being locked for essentially having Aspergers and possibly because he's black.
Do something about it. Now.
The officer was just doing his job.
Posted by: Obedient Taxpaying Citizen | July 18, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Thanks for writing about this. I did the same a few weeks back. Somebody needs to do something.
Posted by: Vivian J Paige | July 18, 2010 at 04:30 PM
Sorry for the double post. Here is a link to my post.
http://blog.vivianpaige.com/2010/06/22/what-happened-in-stafford/
Posted by: Vivian J Paige | July 18, 2010 at 04:31 PM
Unfortunately that officer did not have the proper training for his job. Autistic folks do not understand communication and social cues (like there are a bunch of cops around me I better do as they say) like you and I would. That is horrible what happened to the young man and also just as horrible that police officers were put in a position to fail.
Posted by: Lee Talley | July 18, 2010 at 07:49 PM
Its not so much the police's fault - they had no way of knowing he has Aspergers. But once the mother informed them he should not have been put through the same system as any other hoodlum. Its the system that is failing this family, not so much the police.
Posted by: Chris | July 18, 2010 at 09:06 PM
COPS make mistakes all of the time. So do our courts.
Think about this the next time you see a report of someone being charged with a crime.
Since 9/11 and the Bush regime, law enforcement personnel have been especially careless with the civil liberties of our citizens.
The citizens need to act strongly to restore our civil liberties. Many voted for Obama hoping for a correction in the over reaches by government, but so far, things have gotten worse, rather than better.
In Virginia, it is not just those from the Negro race who are persecuted and unjustly charged. The COPS think that they can get away with just about anything these days, so every citizen is at higher risk of being harassed or wrongfully charged with a crime.
To me, COPS are no different than any other gang of thugs. They are no longer out here to help the citizens, but to prey on them. They will do anything for their own self-interest, then try to hide behind their badge if anyone protests.
Citizens need to restore the proper relationship between COPS and the citizens, so that once again their true purpose is to, "...Protect and Serve..."
Posted by: Clairese Lippincott | July 19, 2010 at 11:21 AM
*COPS make mistakes all of the time. So do our courts.
Think about this the next time you see a report of someone being charged with a crime.
Since 9/11 and the Bush regime, law enforcement personnel have been especially careless with the civil liberties of our citizens.
The citizens need to act strongly to restore our civil liberties. Many voted for Obama hoping for a correction in the over reaches by government, but so far, things have gotten worse, rather than better.
In Virginia, it is not just those from the Negro race who are persecuted and unjustly charged. The COPS think that they can get away with just about anything these days, so every citizen is at higher risk of being harassed or wrongfully charged with a crime.
To me, COPS are no different than any other gang of thugs. They are no longer out here to help the citizens, but to prey on them. They will do anything for their own self-interest, then try to hide behind their badge if anyone protests.
Citizens need to restore the proper relationship between COPS and the citizens, so that once again their true purpose is to, "...Protect and Serve..."
Posted by: Clairese Lippincott | July 19, 2010 at 11:24 AM
This sort of thing happens frequently in encounters between police and kids with disabilities like Aspergers.
Luckily, this time, no one was shot.
Unluckily, you now have a local judge who is compounding the problem by sending the young man into the state mental health system.
Lets hope somebody with more sense comes to the rescue sometime soon!
Posted by: The Donkey | July 20, 2010 at 08:54 AM
I distinctly remember sheriffs lobbying for an increase in mental health funding one year. "We are not equipped to do mental health treatment, but far too often, people with mental health issues end up in our jails." Sadly, this story shows their point was spot on.
Posted by: Kris Amundson | July 20, 2010 at 12:39 PM
Del. Amundson, thanks for letting us know that. But the problem wasn't the police in my opinion. How are they suppose to know when there is an encounter like that? My problem is with the system afterwards with the judge and the authorities who have the luxury of knowing the young man had a disability.
This kid did absolutely NOTHING illegal or wrong and ends up in a mental institution? A disgrace to the state and its judicial process.
Posted by: Chris | July 21, 2010 at 10:07 AM