AbleChild: It’s Time for Experimental Mental Health “Treatments” to be Considered Deadly Weapons

Guest post by AbleChild Organization – Republished with permission.

Last week the world was marked safe from Robert Crimo’s murderous proclivities with a sentence having been handed down, providing seven consecutive life sentences (without the possibility of parole) for each of the people Crimo killed during his 2022 July 4th parade assault in Highland Park, Illinois. And, to cover all bases, the judge added another 50 years to Crimo’s sentence for each of the victims wounded during the attack.

According to sentencing Judge Victoria Rossetti, Crimo had “complete disregard for human life…was irretrievably depraved, permanently incorrigible, irreparably corrupt and beyond any rehabilitation.” So that’s a wrap. Another bad guy off the streets. But is it that simple? Did the public learn anything from this mass shooting? 

It’s hard to say with the way the sentencing hearing was conducted and the secrecy in which the information about Crimo is being handled, one might begin to wonder what the state is hiding. Let’s look at Crimo, the behavioral health department in Illinois, and whether there was a conflict of interest in the defense of Crimo during the sentencing hearing.

Having covered too many of these mass shootings, AbleChild can’t help but consider that Crimo’s story is not too dissimilar to the story of the Parkland, Fl., school shooter, Nikolas Cruz. Remember that Cruz was “treated” by the State of Florida behavioral health experts for mental health issues since the age of seven. Cruz had been forced to take cocktails of prescription mind-altering drugs his entire adolescent life at the direction of state psychiatrists (Henderson Behavioral Health). Then, as if there was no concern about a conflict of interest, the state represented Cruz during his sentencing hearing.

Fast forward to Highland Park, Illinois. Robert Crimo had a large social media footprint. And investigators noted that his posts suggested mental health struggles. Further, there is a great deal of familial information that would suggest Crimo was no stranger to state mental health assistance. Remember that the police were called to the Crimo family home on two specific occasions to deal with Crimo’s violent behavior. First Crimo attempted to commit suicide in April of 2019. Police were called but no action was taken as the parents assured police that their son was getting help from mental health professionals.

A second call was made to police five months later in September 2019 when Crimo threatened to kill everyone in the family home. No action was taken as the family would not press charges. At that time, police seized 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from the family home. Four months after this incident Crimo applied for and was granted a firearm permit.

Anyone notice what is glaringly missing from all news accounts of the shooting? That’s right. No mention is made about the specific “help” Crimo was getting from mental health professionals. Why? Would it not be helpful to law enforcement to know what mental health diagnosis Crimo was assigned? Would it not assist law enforcement to know what, if any, medications Crimo may have been prescribed and by whom? Did law enforcement even bother to ask?

More importantly, it was noted that there was no discussion of Crimo’s mental health struggles during the sentencing hearing. Why? Did state family services intervene during the two 2019 reported violent actions? Was Crimo being seen by a private mental health professional? If Crimo was being seen by mental health professionals, were psychiatric medications prescribed and, if yes, what was prescribed?

If the state was involved in Crimo’s mental health, it clearly is a conflict to provide legal representation at the sentencing, as the state certainly would have the ability to withhold information that would implicate the state. Did the state deliberately fail to make Crimo’s mental health history public? And was Crimo on any prescription psychiatric drugs at any time during his confinement that may have had an effect on his ability to provide for his defense?

It’s hard to know what information is available because, if anyone is interested in this sentencing, the only way to obtain the record is to physically go to the courthouse in Lake County. Oddly enough, in today’s world of instantaneous documentation, this record is only available in person. It defies reason.

The Highland Park shooting and the Parkland High School shooting are similar in respect to what actions were taken after the shootings. In respect to the Parkland shooting sentencing verdict, Governor DeSantis signed a bill to eliminate a requirement for a unanimous jury recommendation before a death sentence can be imposed. The new law requires only eight of twelve jurors to vote in the affirmative for a death sentence. And, in Highland Park, the shooting prompted Illinois lawmakers to pass a statewide assault weapons ban in 2023.

Neither case prompted a review of the mental health services provided to either shooter. In the case of Crimo, it appears that everyone involved had no desire to even consider Crimo’s mental health background, as there simply is no mention of a diagnosis or any prescribed drugs. When it comes to Florida shooter Cruz, his mental health was discussed but it was handled by state-appointed mental health professionals, of which many would consider a clear conflict of interest.

Why is the mental health of these shooters never questioned? Given the numerous mentions in the press, there is no doubt that Crimo has a mental health background. Why would the court disregard any mention of Crimo’s mental health during sentencing? Either the state played a role in Crimo’s mental health, or it was provided by a private mental health professional. The public has a right to know what mental health was provided to Crimo and how the mental health issues were treated. Mental health treatment matters.

It matters because all psychiatric medications carry significant adverse events, including violent and suicidal behavior. Mental health data matters because it continually shows up in these shooting cases and no one seems to care that the mental health treatment may be playing a role in the violence.

Until the public is made aware of all the mental health data, these deadly attacks will continue and blaming guns and changing sentencing laws will never make a difference. It’s time for experimental mental health “treatments” to be considered a deadly weapon.

Photo credit: (Nam Y. Huh/AP) victims families at sentencing hearing of Crimos

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The post AbleChild: It’s Time for Experimental Mental Health “Treatments” to be Considered Deadly Weapons appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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