Is The "System" Failed?

[MJS]

This is an incident that happened a few days ago.

http://www.courant.com/community/ea...-homicide-arrest-0828-20120827,0,261290.story

EAST HARTFORD – —
As Luthfur Tarafdar's family laid him to rest in a New York cemetery Tuesday, the man accused of gunning him down in an East Hartford convenience store faced a judge in a Manchester courtroom.
More than two dozen of Tarafdar's friends and family missed his burial, so they could honor their friend by being in Manchester court Tuesday for the arraignment of Kezlyn Mendez, 25, of Hartford, who appeared before Judge Carl Taylor.
"We want justice," said Syed Ahmed, Tarafdar's cousin. "We don't want this guy to come out again."


Mendez was released from prison six months ago after serving his time on a threatening charge. Taylor set bail at $3 million and ordered him back to court Sept. 11 in Hartford.

http://www.courant.com/community/ea...rtford-homicide-0830-20120829,0,6661435.story

EAST HARTFORD—
— Whether in prison or on the streets, Kezlyn Mendez has had difficulty with rules, according to his court records.
Since turning 18 in October 2004, Mendez has been arrested nine times, the latest on Monday in connection with the killing of an East Hartford store clerk.
While he was in prison for previous offenses, Mendez's behavior was so bad he was sent to Northern Correctional Institution in Somers, where the most troublesome of the state's prisoners are housed, the records indicate.


Court records tell of a man who was given chances to change his ways, but continued to break the law in violent ways. Those records also describe a man with mental health problems so severe that his defense lawyers often questioned whether he was competent enough to aid in his defense.
Leatha McFarland, Mendez's mother, said this week that he is bipolar and had not been taking his medication.

So, after reading this, it would seem to me that:

1) If this guy really has the mental issues that're being claimed, and if they're as serious as being claimed, that he's apparently not getting the help that he should be.

2) Despite his 'mental issues' he's apparently aware enough, to know how to obtain a gun, use it, as well as physically threaten people, violate rules, etc.

3) He's a serious, violent repeat offender, who, IMO, probably shouldn't have been on the streets. If we're lucky, this guy will be locked up for a long time.

So, given what's said in the articles I linked, do you feel the court/prison system failed to work?

 

[Dirty Dog]

Based on those articles, the legal system has failed miserably.

 

[Omar B]

 

[K-man]

This is an incident that happened a few days ago.

http://www.courant.com/community/ea...-homicide-arrest-0828-20120827,0,261290.story



http://www.courant.com/community/ea...rtford-homicide-0830-20120829,0,6661435.story




So, after reading this, it would seem to me that:

1) If this guy really has the mental issues that're being claimed, and if they're as serious as being claimed, that he's apparently not getting the help that he should be.

2) Despite his 'mental issues' he's apparently aware enough, to know how to obtain a gun, use it, as well as physically threaten people, violate rules, etc.

3) He's a serious, violent repeat offender, who, IMO, probably shouldn't have been on the streets. If we're lucky, this guy will be locked up for a long time.

So, given what's said in the articles I linked, do you feel the court/prison system failed to work?

We don't know much of his medical history but he is bipolar and he wasn't taking his medication. I have seen first hand the same situation and you can not convince a person with a mental problem that they need to take medication. In their mind they are just fine, thank you very much for your concern.

So to 2). Mental issues in bipolar don't prevent you doing 'normal' things. The problem with bipolar is the brain doesn't distinguish between 'normal' and 'non-normal'. If there is violence, that is more likely to be a separate issue such as psychosis.

3). Couldn't agree more accept that I would throw away the key.

I don't agree that he 'system' has failed. Short of incarcerating him in an institution and medicating him forcefully, what more could anyone have done? Society is so concerned with the rights of individuals to live in the community without supervision that the 'system' can't enforce the conditions that are needed.

So, I would agree that his guy, regardless of the underlying mental issues, is as you described .. "He's a serious, violent repeat offender, who, IMO, probably shouldn't have been on the streets".

 

[MJS]

We don't know much of his medical history but he is bipolar and he wasn't taking his medication. I have seen first hand the same situation and you can not convince a person with a mental problem that they need to take medication. In their mind they are just fine, thank you very much for your concern.

So to 2). Mental issues in bipolar don't prevent you doing 'normal' things. The problem with bipolar is the brain doesn't distinguish between 'normal' and 'non-normal'. If there is violence, that is more likely to be a separate issue such as psychosis.

3). Couldn't agree more accept that I would throw away the key.

I don't agree that he 'system' has failed. Short of incarcerating him in an institution and medicating him forcefully, what more could anyone have done? Society is so concerned with the rights of individuals to live in the community without supervision that the 'system' can't enforce the conditions that are needed.

So, I would agree that his guy, regardless of the underlying mental issues, is as you described .. "He's a serious, violent repeat offender, who, IMO, probably shouldn't have been on the streets".

So basically, someone with a bipolar disorder can't seperate right from wrong? Someone who's BP, wouldn't think that picking up a stick and hitting someone over the head was a bad thing to do? I've never known anyone with this condition, thus the reason I ask.

As for the failure of the system...well short of forcefully giving him his meds, it doesn't seem like there's much that can be done. IMO, though, given his lengthy criminal history, perhaps some sort of institution would be a good place, if not prison. I know, I know....we can't put every person in the world, in prison, because they have a mental condition. I'm not suggesting that either.

 

[Dirty Dog]

So basically, someone with a bipolar disorder can't seperate right from wrong? Someone who's BP, wouldn't think that picking up a stick and hitting someone over the head was a bad thing to do? I've never known anyone with this condition, thus the reason I ask.

Someone who is bipolar will manifest drastic mood swings. From being the life of the party to being suicidally depressed. Some cases also exhibit psychotic features, and in those cases they can have the full range of hallucinations and decide that God/Satan/their shoe is telling them to do all manner of odd things.

The problem with medicating them is, of course, non-compliance. Not because they don't realise they're sick; most do. But because they LIKE how they feel when they're in the manic state (up until their shoe starts talking to them...).
You've probably known several people who are bipolar. If they're willing to stay on their meds, you'd probably never know it though.

 

[K-man]

So basically, someone with a bipolar disorder can't seperate right from wrong? Someone who's BP, wouldn't think that picking up a stick and hitting someone over the head was a bad thing to do? I've never known anyone with this condition, thus the reason I ask.

As for the failure of the system...well short of forcefully giving him his meds, it doesn't seem like there's much that can be done. IMO, though, given his lengthy criminal history, perhaps some sort of institution would be a good place, if not prison. I know, I know....we can't put every person in the world, in prison, because they have a mental condition. I'm not suggesting that either.

It's a little bit more complex than right and wrong. Inhibitions that would normally be in place in a normal situation disappear in the manic phase and this leads to uncharacteristic behaviour. If the person had a violent personality, then the normal inhibitions may be absent.

On top of all that, a lot of people with mental problems have more than one issue. As Dirty Dog​ posted, this guy sounds psychotic. Remove the medication and you have a volcano ready to erupt.