Andre Thomas: Mental Health, Criminal Justice Collide
This is Part One in a six-part series exploring the intersections of the mental health and criminal justice systems in Texas. It examines the case of Andre Thomas, a death row inmate who began exhibiting signs of mental illness as a boy and committed a brutal triple murder in 2004. Blind because he pulled out both of his eyes while behind bars, Thomas awaits a federal court's decision on whether he is sane enough to be executed.
SHERMAN, Texas — Andre Thomas was the type of kid who could memorize entire Bible stories, who would shoot his eager hand in ...
Comments (7)
Casey Bennett via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Great article. Mental Health in the State of Texas is sadly not addressed well enough. Its a slippery slope, with lots of snags. Should Thomas have been committed?? Absolutely. Should he be deemed insane?? Hardly. He knew what he was doing, and he did it on purpose. Should he be on death row? Maybe not,,,, but the jury said yes. They heard much much more than the article puts out there. After the fact,,,I think he has done the self injury to gain sympathy towards an insanity plea. He's far from stupid. His actions can never be undone. We can just try to stop the next one. Enforce the bench warrants for Emergency Detention. Let the pysch Dr's do their job, keep these people in custody long enough to get them the help they truly need.
Toni Mikel via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Is this this one that is mental slow also? Like 70 iq?
Toni Mikel via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Maybe these victims of mentally ill untreated patients; survivors of attacks should sue state of Texas for the horrors they had to endure because the State failed to treat them. Sometimes I wonder who is responsible. All my life I've been diagnosed with mental illness since 9 years old and commited twice for violent actions toward myself but I always had Parents to support me, love me the best they could as I would withdrawal into my own dark world. Now I'm an old lady. I take medicines that keep me safe, secure but often I can't afford my meds and get off them for while and then it just kills me with withdrawal and then hard to start up all over again. It takes so long for drugs to build up in your body to help. All these things needs discussed more openly like treatment of other diseases without stigma. Children need to be proactively noticed somehow different quiet, shy withdrawal. At early ages before they hurt themselves or others???
Clara Spriggs-Adams via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Great article! Clearly, the State of Texas, as well as the federal government, hasn't done enough to address mental health issues in this state and in the country. Shame on a government who turns its back on such a vulnerable population. And Shame on a government who turns its back on us, the unsuspecting public (its citizens). No one is safe!!!
Christie Smith
Whether or not his use of alcohol and drugs made things worse is not relevant. Many mentally ill people use / abuse alcohol and drugs in an attempt to self-medicate - to calm those voices or angry urges. He was clearly mentally ill - BEFORE the crime. What is missing from this story is the subtext of race. Andre Thomas is African American. What would the jury have said if he were white? Statistics show that African American males are more heavily punished in the criminal justice system than any other demographic. I am not stating with absolute certainty that is the case here, but certainly it is worth thinking about.
Anya Khan
I am opposed to the death penalty. As I understand the case, he had refused treatment in the past. He was sane enough to know that the murders were wrong. He should spend everyday of the rest of his life in jail
Sharon Lambert
Understanding mental health is complicated. Even mental health professionals only recently have been able to actually confirm brain patterns that are different in individuals suffering from mental illness.
I have battled depression most of my 60+ years and nearly 21 years trying to help my grandson.
If you have not had personal experience count yourself lucky because it will impact the entire family.
I can not even imagine what isolation would be like for those without mental illness. For those who suffer from schizophrenia and other serious mental illness; it literally becomes hell.
I truly believe that isolation for any human being is a blatant violation of The Constitution (The Eighth Amendment).
Try putting a dog in a 6' x 8' concrete block with no human contact and see what the public does about that.
http://www.opednews.com/ Effects of Prolonged Isolation by Stephen Lendman April 19, 2010