Alesia Thomas is one of many women who, in the last several years, have met a brutal death in the custody of police. The officers involved in Thomas’ arrest are now on trial in Los Angeles. While Thomas’ case is receiving local coverage, it hasn’t garnered much publicity outside of California.
This is what boys and girls of color of all ages know they risk having to endure. This girl may well have escaped the fate of Kalief Browder, thanks to a group of courageous, caring women in her community. This is not a new phenomenon.
A mentally-ill person in crisis shouldn’t end up in jail. It isn’t the appropriate placement for someone in such a condition. That Natasha McKenna ended up in jail was bad enough.
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