Another victim of de-institutionalization and Eloi-dom

Deshawn James Chappell is a psychotic with a history of violence who had not been taking his medications. Instead of being kept in a state hospital in Massachusetts, he was assigned to a group home. Last January, 25-year-old social worker Stephanie Moulton, 5”1’, was the only person with Chappell in the group home. Chapell murdered her with numerous deep stab wounds to the neck and blunt force blows to the upper body. The New York Times has a long story about it.

Moulton had become anxious about the dangers of her job, and had begun occasionally carrying a knife for self-defense. But somehow that didn’t warn her against being alone with a violent psychotic.

Robert B. writes:

Where to start? So many things jump out at me.

1) People who grow up in dysfunctional homes (Flynn) dominate the mental health care industry. These people usually do not recognize danger as they grew up in the dysfunctional, dangerous environment. They are, in effect, trying to heal themselves.

2)Mother and child have different names.

3) Family is not only poorly educated, but are quite ignorant.

4) One of the family’s ways of dealing with the pain is to inflict more upon themselves—tattoos. DSM IV (psychological diagnostic manual) criteria for self harm include tattoos, body piercing and cutting. [LA replies: Note that the Times article begins with a horrible photo of the victim’s fiance posing with a huge tattoo on his back memorializing her. His (and other relatives’) response to this murder was to disfigure their bodies with tattoos.]

5) Every time I read a story like this of a psychotic person committing murder, I am reminded of Ronald Reagan’s speech decrying the SCOTUS’ opinion releasing all of these patients from institutions when the ACLU successfully sued a state on the grounds that institutionalizing the psychotic was tantamount to unlawful imprisonment as well as cruel and unusual punishment. Liberals always deny this—and try to blame it on Reagan’s budget cuts.

6) I can’t help but notice how the article, true to form, concentrates on the murderer and only the victim somewhat in passing. It also leaves out the obvious implication of her being found with her panties and pants dangling from one ankle. Wouldn’t want white(y) to notice yet another sexual attack on a white woman by a black man.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at June 17, 2011 09:35 AM | Send