If you think the following true story is ludicrous and a severe injustice, you can say so by adding your comment and signature to this petition:
Since I know my readers care about veterans and the struggles they face, I took the liberty to share one more petition with you today. It just takes a few seconds to click and sign the petition, so taking a few moments out of your busy day is so greatly appreciated by me and those in the wounded warrior community.
The short story is this: A disabled veteran with a traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress (PTSD) is sitting in jail for a loophole in the Platte County MO court system, being made an ‘example’ by the District Attorney during an election year. He is getting no treatment for his PTSD and the only thing he is guilty of is calling 911 during a flashback to ask for help. He threatened no one, hurt no one, and instead of being taken to the hospital for treatment he was taken to jail where he now sits with no medical treatment for his disability.
You can learn more about his story (he is nicknamed “MC” by his wife) by following this blog: S.O.S. Saving Our Sanity
If you haven’t clicked to sign the petition yet, it’s not too late. Just scroll down (or up) and sign the petition linked this post. Please.
Here are the details of the petition:
In April, 2010, Zac was on probation after a traffic ticket. He had a flashback, which is common for PTSD sufferers but terrifying nevertheless. Dissociated and afraid, Zac called 911 for help. His wife called 911 immediately afterward to clarify the situation and asked for an ambulance to transport her husband safely to the hospital, where he could get help. Instead, SWAT officers hid in the bushes outside their home, making an already terrifying situation even worse. The rifle that Zac had to protect himself from those he believed were hunting him was not loaded at the time, which Zac’s wife had already relayed to the 911 dispatcher. After negotiation, Zac surrendered and was taken to the hospital for 72 hours. He was charged with a misdemeanor for unlawful weapons, which was thrown out because the rifle was unloaded, but Zac was threatened with a felony charge if he refused to plead guilty to the misdemeanor. A man of integrity, Zac still refused to plead guilty because he had called 911 asking for help, not as a criminal, and he had not done anything wrong. Shortly thereafter, Zac was charged with Felony Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer. Zac never assaulted anyone or even so much as pointed the unloaded weapon at anyone. Testimony from everyone involved supports this fact. At the same time, Zac was seeking inpatient treatment for his PTSD. His provider then denied him all of his medication because this facility was outside the VA system, resulting in a dissociative state during which Zac was coerced into entering an Alford plea for the Felony Assault charge. He has no memory of signing any such agreement. When Zac completed the inpatient program, he was sentenced to 85 days in jail for violating his probation. To clarify, Zac’s desperate call for help was classified as “police contact” and a probation violation.
This is not only cruel and unusual punishment and a perversion of justice; it is also a serious liability for the Platte County Corrections Department. PTSD is a delicate and complicated condition, and every day that Zac spends in jail worsens his mental health. He is entirely without much-needed treatment and in an environment filled with triggers that leave him constantly anxious and depressed.
Please, help us right this horrendous injustice, and sign this petition requesting that Zac be released immediately so that he can continue the treatment that is vital to not only his health, but his survival. No one should be punished for asking for help, but that is exactly what has happened here.
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