The suspect in the shooting of four police officers in Washington never had any mental health treatment during his 11-year incarceration in prison, according to his clemency report.
Maurice Clemmons, 37, the suspect in the shooting reported told friends that they should watch the news the following day because he was going to shoot police officers. Nobody reported the statements to police.
Clemmons had been released one week prior to the shootings. He was being held on a second-degree charge of child rape.
Parole documents obtained by the Examiner show that Clemmons had no mental health treatment during his incarceration for felony charges in Arkansas. He was 16-years old when he committed the crimes that landed him in prison.
He told the parole board that he wanted to turn his life around. He stated in his papers that the "angel of death" visited his mother while he was in prison and he was changed by the fact that he did not have a chance to prove to her that he could be a productive citizen.
Clemmons also professed his Christian faith.
When Clemmons returned to Washington, his family members have called police at various times during the last year. The allegedly complained that Clemmons was delusional, paranoid, and suffering a nervous breakdown.
He received bail in Washington for the child rape charge just days before allegedly shooting the police.
Clemmons went into prison at the age of 16 and was released at the age of 27 through the clemency act signed by then Arkansas Governor Mick Huckabee.
Comments
Your article is just as disturbing as this man, Clemmons. Instead of noting within the article that Clemmons never had mental care while incarcerated, it's your title. Clearly your implication is that others are to blame for his heinous life.
Then, with no supporting context you note that he "professed his Christian faith". He is clearly professing nothing Christian. Your hidden agenda, is not.
Clemmons in an animal and will soon get what he deserves.
Mental health care cannot be forced on a person in custody. One can only receive mental health counseling if one voluntarily participates in that counseling. There is psych care available for inmates, but many - especially schizophrenics - by nature of their illness do not believe themselves in need of care. Would you have us return to the days of shock therapy and forced lobotomies? States cannot even force a schizophrenic to take his medication if he doesn't want to. Your article should address how many times Clemmons declined mental health care and counseling during his years in custody.
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