Pages

2004-05-19

Texas Executes Schizophrenic Killer

The Responsible Schizophrenic: Yesterday, Texas executed a man convicted of killing a businessman and his secretary in his hometown of Palestine, Texas. The man, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, once said a plate of beans spoke to him and accused his sisters of spying on him. After the shooting, he went home, took off all his clothes except for his socks and stood in the middle of the street until police came. The execution of a schizophrenic person seems harsh. On the other hand, the legal system has tended to treat schizophrenics as if they have free choice and are capable of making informed decisions about whether to take their meds, where to live, and so forth. This is sometimes to the consternation of families trying to control the often considerable damage done to property and lives by schizophrenics. So, in this case, the legal system is being consistent if not wise. Email your comments to me.

No comments: