Originally Posted by SillyLilRose

It's about my son who is Bipolar and schitzophrenic. Medication DOES help him alot. However, his medication costs $400 - $800 per month. he has used community funding in the past, however as of last July he's been turned down just about everywhere because area funding is declining.

Starting July of 2007, he started getting into trouble because of no meds. He had at one time placed hisself into a mental hospital because he knew he needed his meds & knew he was getting worse.

Jan. of 2008, he got drunk one night and according to his friend that was with him, he went to a known drug dealer to buy a small bag of marijuana. The friend went with him BUT stayed on the drug dealers porch. My son knocked, went inside & then a fight started. My son beat the guy up but he has no idea what happened, he simply was too drunk to remember. My son was charged with aggravated burglary, although the guy let him in his home & according to his witness, my son had no intention in harming the guy when he went there. The victim admitted in court that he let my son into his home BUT he had no idea why my son attacked him. The victim also stated in court that my son went inside his home for a transaction BUT no one asked the victim what kind of transaction it was.

Someone told me there were new laws out to help people that are mentally ill and are facing criminal charges. My son has a public defender but his public defender stated to me that he couldn't help my son & that my son needed to grow up...which I think the attorney has no clue to what mental illness actually is, especially the mental illnesses my son has to fight every day.

Since in the county Jail, my son has been finally receiving his medication & doing just fine, except for the charges against him.

That's about all I know about the story, does anyone know about the new laws out that are suppose to help the mentally ill in criminal court?