(Dec. 22, 2014) David McBrayer was already well-known to Alabama law enforcement for his potential mental illness before he was fatally shot by the police after refusing to drop a knife and walking toward a police officer last November in Jacksonville (Father of Jacksonville man killed by police hopes for reform of mental health laws,” the Anniston Star, Dec. 22).
“We already knew that this guy had a problem. We had enough to do a commitment on him, but not enough to do an emergency commitment,” Lt. Jon Garlick, a mental health officer, told the Anniston Star.
In Alabama, a person must pose danger to themselves or others and be unable to rationally decide for themselves if they need medical treatment in order to qualify for court-ordered treatment. But many other states allow court-ordered treatment when either of those conditions are met.
Because of this, “we have to wait for the person to attack someone or hurt themselves. That’s a terrible situation for the family and the person to be in,” said John Snook, deputy executive director at the Treatment Advocacy Center.
Now McBrayer’s father, Brad, says he wants to see changes in the way Alabama handles people with mental illness. He also worries about the use of force that police officers use in their encounters with people with mental illness.
“David was paranoid. He didn’t want help. He just wanted to be left alone.”
It should be easier for family member to help someone with a mental illness, McBrayer said. “This way people like David will receive treatment and live.”
The good news is that "at the end of the day, it's a really easy fix," according to Snook. Most states allow court-ordered intervention when fewer criteria are met. Alabama should follow their lead.
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