September 22, 2011

Essex County MA Prosecutor's Overt Disability Bigotry

In spite of repeated complaints the Essex County MA District Attorney's office continues to slur all persons accused of mental illness. What is the causal connection between an accusation of mental illness and violence? There is no rational connection. Moreover and especially in this case the defendant pleaded guilty. So the argument made previously by the Essex County DA's office that the prosecutor reveals the "history of mental illness" because the defendant may, repeat may, use mental illness as a defense. That was what they said when confronted with their regular use of "a history of mental illness" revealed before arraignment after an arrest. They never explain how they get their medical records or the reliability of the "history of mental illness." Prosecutors in Essex County have all become psychiatrists licensed to make diagnoses in court. It shows how negatively biased that prosecutor is, but also how arbitrary and capricious psychiatry is. It indicates that judges share the institutionalized bias pervasive in the prosecutor's office. But also that the defense lawyers do not object to these repeated abuses of the rights of persons with disabilities to enjoy equal access to the courts, a First Amendment right. Nonetheless the negative stereotyping of persons accused of mental illness encourages police to abuse, to harass, to assault, to provoke, and to kill, persons accused of mental illness. According to the stereotype of the Essex County prosecutor's office all such persons may be violent and thus they need to be treated as criminals. Too bad the lies and corruption of the Essex County Prosecutor's office are not prosecuted as freely as their biases are broadcast in open court. Most of them would be in jail. Another question is why do journalists publish the irrelevant hateful comments by the prosecutor's office regarding medical records which have privileged privacy status under state and US laws? It appears that journalists share the negative bias of the prosecutors, the lawyers and the judges. How do persons with disabilities overcome these barriers which do not exist for Black Americans, homosexuals, illegal aliens and women? Can't solve a problem until it is recognized.

[From article]
"Prosecutors said Belanger had a history of mental health problems."

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110922north_andover_man_sentenced_in_therapists_stabbing_death/

North Andover man sentenced in therapist’s stabbing death
By Associated Press
Boston Herald
Thursday, September 22, 2011

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