Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for gifting me a digital ARC of this nonfiction book by Mikita Brottman - 4 stars!
Brian was the last of five children born into a very dysfunctional family. He was just 22 when he walked into a police station in Florida and confessed to killing both parents at their home in Maryland. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia, found not criminally responsible and sent to a maximum security psychiatric hospital and where he remained for 27 years.
I admit to liking to read true crime; this book explores more of the after. It showcases how far we have to go to truly treat mental illness. The author skillfully laid out not only Brian's story but countless others. Why are some people released after a few years where others remain for decades? Brian hated to take medications, especially the ones that are typically given to psychiatric patients, leaving him not much more than a zombie. But refusing to take medication, even when he showed no further sign of illness, was cause to say he was exhibiting mental illness. Everything was a catch 22. Those in prisons have more rights than those in institutions; many committed crimes in hopes of being sent to prison. Very eye-opening book I would recommend for anyone interested in this subject.
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