A Voice For Neli

[eumelia]

I read about this yesterday and am appalled as well everyone else should be. Here is what happened to a young autistic black man while walking, minding his own business.

A Voice For Neli

On the morning of May 24, 2010, I arose at approximately 6:30 am to wake my son for school. I discovered that my son was not in his room. I did not immediately worry because I know that he loves to go for walks. A few hours later at approximately 10:30 I called the police station when he had not returned. I was told that he was in custody and was currently being questioned but I was not told why. I immediately told them that my son was Autistic. Although I told them this, they still refused to offer me any information. I told them the to ensure he got his phone call. Once he called me, I could barely hear him because his speech was very low. The only thing I could make out was that he was attacked by the police and he didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I still had no idea what he was talking about.

It wasn’t until later that evening that I found out about the events of what allegedly took place that morning. A neighbor came down to check on me and said she had seen this story on the News. Needless to say I was devastated, appalled, livid, sad and my heart just broke. I knew immediately that something was VERY wrong, because my son would not be in possession of a gun. My son, whom our family calls “Neli”, was jailed without bond and I was told that I was not allowed to visit him.

A school counselor from the school that he attends was however allowed to see him. I’m very grateful for that because she has a long relationship with Neli and she is someone whom he trusts. The school counselor was able to set up a “special” visit for me to get in and see my son a few days later. What I saw completely devastated me. My son was unable to speak, although he was desperately trying to. I have never witnessed anything such as what I saw that day with him before.

My son was traumatized. He has since been transferred to a mental hospital to receive treatment. I have placed a link to the story below for the world to see. How very sensational and yet sinister at the same time. What is so suspicious about a young man sitting under a tree at the library. The library is where my son goes quite frequently because there is a teen room there. What made him suspicious? Was it because he is a young black male? Possible gun? Why was the assumption made that he had a gun when there was no visible gun seen? Again was it because he was a young black man? These assumptions are what catapulted the events of that day and has turned our family’s life completely upside down.

There is a story to tell. My son’s story. For legal reasons, I cannot disclose his side of the events that took place that day. But the truth will come out. The actions that were taken by the police that day were excessive in the least and grossly mishandled. Someone says I see a suspicious black male and he “could” have a gun, while all my son was doing was sitting in the grass at the library. And you shut down six schools and go out on a manhunt for this dangerous black man who was sitting in the grass. Anyone reading this story can read between the lines and see that this just doesn’t add up. This website is just the beginning of an effort on my part to get my son’s story out there, garner support from the Autism Community and shine on the injustices that took place that day.

More info at the link above, there is a Huff-Po article circulating as well.

Do I even need to say what's wrong here?

Comments

[ironed_orchid]

That's so awful.

[eumelia]

It really is.

[silveradept]

I think if we tried to say what was wrong here, we'd exceed even the shiny increased comment box character limits here on DW. I'm more worried that the police report will be the one that has to be disproven, instead of the police having to prove that things went down the way they said it did.

And is it standard procedure if someone calls in and says, "I think someone has a gun" around a school, the whole place locks down and the police look for whichever suspicious individual they can find?

[eumelia]

Official reports, even if they are fabricated, once they have a Seal of Approval are always harder to disprove or appeal.

One of the reasons I hate authority.

[silveradept]

I can be ambivalent on authority, but knowing full well that there are people in authority that routinely use it to cover their asses or outright lie about things so they don't get in trouble? That's infuriating.

[miss_haitch]

Ugh, appalling. Some of the comments on the HuffPo article are horribly victim-blaming, too. Thank you for signal-boosting -- I hadn't read about this.

[eumelia]

Yeah, I never read talkbacks and comments, I lose faith in humanity when I do...