Jordan Neely could have been my brother. Both were diagnosed with severe schizophrenia, both with violent criminal histories, and both forcibly, temporarily hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital—New York City’s flagship hospital for the mentally ill.
The stark difference: My mother and I proactively fought the legal battle for guardianship of my brother to keep him off the streets—away from harm to himself or others. Because we chose to take a stand for him, my brother is safe and alive.
What’s infuriating now in the wake of Neely’s tragic death is that his family wants to make money off his passing. Instead, Neely’s family should arguably face charges of negligence for failing to keep him out of jail and off the streets. But our country’s terrible laws around mental health will not hold Neely’s family accountable, and his father is attempting to Read more…
