My mentally ill brother has been remanded in prison for over a year. Help?

Question

My brother 27 is diagnosed with bipolar disease. Just before his arrest we were trying to get him back into a mental health institution so that he would have his medicine on a regular basis. He was homeless.

He has been held for charges of a pedophilic nature. He admits to touching the children (2).

We can't afford a lawyer and the gov't appointed ones refuse to show in court.

My question what are our options to get him out and the steps needed to rehabilitate him

Ok I live in Trinidad in the caribbean. There is not warm clothes or bed. He will not be taken care of. I'm not being selfish. I was molested by my father since before I can remember and still trying to make sense of my life. But prison here is leaving him to rot and as his sister and knowing the hell we came through i cannot in good conscience just leave him to rot.

I don't excuse his behavior but i'm just trying to see how i can help him. Helpful answers preferred. Thanks.

A trial date has not even been set. He's on remand

Answer 1

Hi Diths,

I was a former teacher in a prison in California with a class of mentally ill inmates. I know that this is not what you want to hear, but your brother will be cared for, warm, fed, and have his medications monitored in the prison setting. He will receive counceling there and will get the help he needs. Bip0lar is a terrible thing, but it can be treated. The usual problem with bipolar is that people stop taking meds when they feel better, so the problem recycles itself. If you and your family stay involved in his life you can make this a positive experience for him. We have facilities like prisons for a reason, and they can help him. He will also be away from any potential of repeating the offense while there.

Answer 2

He has a right to defense, and if they didn't show up in court I don't understand why someone else wasn't appointed or why the hearing wasn't postponed until they were there.

I think your only option is to find an attorney who will represent him and who will explain what the next options are. People have a right to refuse treatment, so that is probably an issue. You need to find an attorney who will address all the issues and address whether your brother's right to defense was violated by other attorneys' not showing up.

I know I could be wrong, but I would think if he is incarcerated and has been diagnosed with mental illness a prison psychiatrist may see him and prescribe medication for him.

In the meantime, he is better off in prison than on the streets; and so are any children who may have otherwise become his victims.
I would think if he was so mentally ill he was insane 1) he wouldn't have been sent to prison and 2) the court could have had him committed. He is probably not "mentally ill enough", but maybe a good attorney could prove otherwise.

Answer 3

Child Molestation is the worst because these men have it on their records for a long long time and they can have life-long probation. He should have been proven ill by his lawyer but this did not happen. Bipolar disease is manic depressive and they get highs and lows, swings that cause them to not think clearly. They can not function so they look for releases.

The problems with out criminal justice system is the poor never get proper help. If you can not afford and attorney, you get one to represent you and many are worthless. All they care about is the number of cases they are involved in so that they can move up. It is sad but true. He will not get good representation when it is free (the tax payers pay for it). We need a new and better system.
Many ill patients and even those who are innocent are being sent to prison for many year because they have free attorneys, These atttorneys do not care if you are guilty or innocent they want you to take a plea bargain to keep it from going to trial. That way they free up the courts and save the tax payers money.

It needs a total rehaul. Our government needs to review our present system and check to see what other countries are doing that works. I speak from experience. My brother took a plea on something he did not do. The prosecutor was sleeping with the defense lawyer and they pushed him to a plea. He spent 8 year in federal prison just because he could not affort an attorney. I ran to his rescue to give him $15,000 to hire a private attorney. The attorney took it, saw him a few times, talked to the prosecutors and went along with them in telling my brother to take the plea. I wasted the money. The damage was done to his case.

See if you can interview the defense attorneys first. If not, talk to the attorney as family and tell him you want him checked for mental illness. If the free attorney is not doing his job petition the court for a different one for his case. Your only hope is to PUSH< PUSH< PUSH. As family you have every right to ask for the best accepting any less will hurt your brother. Mentally ill do not do well in prison as they do not medicate as hospitals do. Learn what you can to help him no one else can. Do not give up hope.

The only rehabilitation for Bipolar is medication given regularly. It is a wiring of the brain that is wrong. Meds fix this so he can function as a normal person.

Good Luck

Answer 4

I don't understand how a government appointed attorney can refuse to show up in court. I am under the impression that is their job.

WHO diagnosed him with bipolar disease? I would get in touch with them and ask what can be done to get his meds to him. I don't think there is anything you can do if he has been charged and placed in jail. It's too late now....He must have pleaded guilty to the charges, he is going to serve the time.

I would meet him at the gate when he is released and get him the help he needs. If someone does not help him and get him placed in an assisted home of some sort, he will still be homeless and still be back in prison within a short time.

Answer 5

Pedophiles CANNOT be rehabilitated. For the sake of every child, leave him in jail. It's for the good of public safety. Stop being selfish and thinking about yourself and your brother and START thinking about his victims. He deserves to be punished, mental illness or not.

P.S. If you wanted a helpful answer, you should have said you live outside the American criminal justice system because most of these people are answering based on that. None of these people that answered know anything about Trinidad laws or how your system works. You just wanted some sympathy and you're not getting it from me. I stand by my answer, whether you think it's helpful or not. The best place for him is jail. I just thank God it's one less pervert we have to deal with in America. Also, being bipolar is not what made him a pedophile and treating him for it will not make the urge to be one go away. Here's a question for you, if you were a victim, why would you want him out so he can cause that pain to other kids?

Answer 6

I'm really sorry to hear that.
First of all, he has a right to an attorney. Talk to someone and tell them that your court-appointed lawyer is not showing up to court. Everyone deserves a credible lawyer when proving their case. If you have records showing his admittance to the hospital for his condition, I think this will be very helpful in your case. (If he hasn't seen one already) Get him a psychiatrist that will come to the prison and evaluate him. This will also very helpful in his defense. Since your brother did commit a serious crime, I seriously doubt that he will be released;however, if you can prove that he needs medical attention, he will be released to a mental hospital instead of a prison, which is where he belongs.

Answer 7

I artwork with ppl that r mentally ill and for obtrusive motives u cant "capture" their ailment. A psychological ailment is a chemical imbalance of the innovations and with the ultimate drugs it is controlled. If u r feeling a splash scattered, or out of kinds that would have been the tension of the dating on u. while in a dating and it gets rocky we tend to over react, blow issues out of proportion and issues that the different guy or woman says or does can harm us emotionally. i might recommend some councelling to repair a number of the harm that u may be feeling. additionally it might answer ur questions approximately how u r feeling mentally. maximum psychological ailments start up while ppl r of their early to previous due young little ones, yet in specific circumstances ppl dont even know they have an ailment till they r adults. melancholy can hit at any time. perhaps look back in ur previous to be certain if u have felt what ur feeling now in ur existence. good success!!!

Answer 8

I think if the gov't appointed lawyer refuses, you can get another one. But bipolar are extreme moodswings. The pedophilia is not because of the bipolar. I don't think you can use that to get him out.

Answer 9

Leave the pedophile in prison. You cant blame ALL his actions on his disease. If you do he will always use it as a crutch.

Answer 10

Hi Honey, First off I would like to commend you on your honesty and straight forward question. You are a good sister who loves her brother, I would love my brother no matter what he ever did. Please don't pay any attention to that ignorant, stupid, rude, sick fool that left the first message. It made me so angry if she would've been standing next to me while she said that I would've had a very hard time not ending up in prison myself for homicice! This is the mentallity of the average American, sadly to say. They are so ignorant to what is going on in this country, like they have blinders on. Your brother has a horrible, painful, uncureable, disease, and it takes much money to get proper treatment for it. That is why our government is closing down mental wards in hospital's and mental health facitlites are being forced to close their doors. No funds. They are using money to build more jails.If you are lower class in this country you are dispensable and the more they can get rid of the better.. They make money for each prsoner in jail daily, now compare that to putting one in a hospital or mental health center, and supplying them with expensive medication, descent food, bed, etc. See what I mean? Just take New Orleans for instance, that was murder by the local and state govt. Federal gave them funds, they just didn't use them on levy for "GHETTO", That was a blessing to the rich people of New Orleans. I have very good friend who's son has been in custody since he was young, just got into system and now has racked up 6 years. He has severe mental illnesses. I would like you to contact me privately and I will get you so much information you will be busy for a very long time.. Remember what you are trying to do is a very, very dificult thing to accomplish. Never know though might be able to at least get him on med's in jail. Refer back to first comment you received and that is why mental illness is still misunderstood in 2007!! Who are the real sick ones? I am so sorry for you and all involved, the victims are not just the children, he is a victim too. No justification, just a fact. Write me at [e-mail] You and all involved in this are in my prayers. I will get you well on your way. I don't normall do this, I don't even know how I got here. Sure hope I can help. Peace, Love, and Light, JJ


I am just blown away by some of the comments on this page! Who do yall think you are...GOD? What right do you have to sit in judgement of another? I don't care where in the world this is happenning, this is problem all over world, not just in U.S., the main problem I see here is not her brother, it is the ignorance, righteousness, arrogance, and not to mention pure hatred you people have taken so much time to "share" with us. I would like to meet you "perfect" people. Emotionally and mentally stable people do not take time out to add to another's pain and misfortune, they only look for a chance to help where they can and not hurt. I sure hope someday you people are in need of some compassion and get spit on like you did this girl. Get a life people. Your day is coming and please when it does remember what you wrote here when you are asking why your life is so misereable, which it has to already in order to feeel the way the majority of you do. Full of rant and rage! WOW You are the ones that scare me! I watch my children, and protect them from people who prey on them, but how can I protect them from people like YOU? Sorry to say I can't, but I am teaching them to stay far away from negative, judgemental scum like you.God only knows what people like you ae capable of doing. Try helping someone today instead of spreading more of your misery. GET A LIFE PEOPLE!!!!!! YOU MAY NOT BE SO ANGRY. YOU ALL MAKE ME SICK, BUT MORE THAN THAT I PITY YOU. You should seek some professional help for your anger and miserable state of minds. PLEASE STOP USING THIS SITE TO PLAY GOD. YOU ARE NOT HIM. TRY TO REMEMBER THAT. Instead of wasting time ranting at someone in pain, go look in the mirror! Take care of what you see there before you post another wicked reply. Ever here the saying "if you have nothing nice to say.........................", apparantly not. SAD SAD PEOPLE