Double Tragedies - Families for Human Rights

ForewordKelsey Patterson spent much ofthe 1980s in and out of mental hospitalsin Texas. No one questionedthat he had a severe mental illness –paranoid schizophrenia – that oftencaused him to become violent.In 1980, he shot and seriouslywounded a co-worker. Patterson believedhis food was being poisoned bythe man even though they’d only metthat morning. Three years later, Pattersonwounded another man duringa delusional assault. In 1986, Pattersonassaulted yet a third victim. Finally,on September 25, 1992, justdays after his brother had tried unsuccessfullyto get him committed toa psychiatric facility, Patterson fatallyshot a businessman and his secretary.He then put his gun down, strippedto his socks, and paced, shouting incomprehensiblyuntil the police arrived.There was no doubt that Pattersonhad committed two murders. Ajudge also ruled that Patterson metthe razor-thin criteria that the U.S.Supreme Court has established to decidewhen someone can be heldlegally accountable for their actionseven though they have a mental disorder.Psychiatrists said Pattersonknew he had done something wrongat the time of the killings.In a rare move – only the secondtime in its history - the Texas Boardof Pardon and Paroles sent a recommendationto the governor askingthat Patterson’s life be spared. By a 5to 1 vote, the panel said Patterson deservedmercy because he was simplytoo sick to be punished.The governor ignored that recommendationand on May 18, 2004, aclearly delusional Patterson, stillrambling incoherently, was put todeath.How could a civilized society executesomeone who was so obviouslypsychotic? Was society culpable inthe murders because it permittedKelsey Patterson’s mental state to deterioratedespite nearly a decade ofwarning signs? Would sparing hislife have been fair to the families ofhis two victims? Where should theline be drawn between mental acuityand responsibility for criminal acts?Should someone who is in the midstof a psychotic breakdown be treateddifferently from a person with mentalretardation – a class of individualswhom the Supreme Court hasexempted from execution because oftheir obvious diminished culpability?As the father of a son with a severemental illness, the Pattersoncase outraged me.This was a preventable tragedy.In the past two years, I have visited43 states speaking about theneed to reform our mental health system.I’ve toured nearly a hundredmental health treatment programsand my travels have convinced methat we know how to help most peoplewho have mental illnesses. This isnot a case of us being ignorant.Housing First programs, whenteamed with Assertive Community