Petition to the U. S. Justice Department

Dog Justice Is Needed for the Mentally Ill
http://www.petitiononline.com/Neal/petition.html

To:  United States Department of Justice
        http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

August 1, 2003, mentally ill heart patient, Larry M. Neal, died while incarcerated in Shelby County Jail in Memphis, Tennessee. During the 18 days of Larry Neal's fatal incarceration, his family and social worker searched for him as a missing person, while the jail repeatedly denied having Larry Neal under arrest. In 2003, Shelby County Jail was under the jurisdiction of the United States Justice Department, following suit by the United States of America due to violations of inmates' civil rights.

To date, all requests by Larry Neal's family for official reports and an investigation regarding his death have been denied or ignored. The undersigned petitioners ask that Larry Neal's death be thoroughly investigated by the United States Justice Department and that Larry's family be given full disclosure of the results of the investigation on a regular basis, with a final report upon close of investigation. We ask that the Justice Department also investigate the possibility of a conspiracy between Larry Neal’s family's attorneys and Shelby County Government to deny the family's right to due process of law following Larry’s alleged wrongful death. The undersigned petitioners feel strongly that a mentally ill citizen's death deserves at least the same investigative efforts and call to justice as the abuse and deaths of America's dogs.

Sincerely,

Petitioners

http://www.petitiononline.com/Neal/petition.html 

(This petition is open for signatures and/or viewing petitioners' signatures and comments.)

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DOG JUSTICE© , by Mary Neal
http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

Too bad you weren't a dog, my brother
In my heart, I cried
Many more people would care about you
And wonder why you died

You had no spots or floppy ears
You never fetched a ball
Instead, you were a human being
But poor, black, and flawed

You died in jail for mental illness
I know down in my heart
Your death would be investigated
If only you could bark

Dog deaths get swift justice
Their abusers are sent to jail
Poor Mama would have closure now
If you'd had a wagging tail

But you were made in God's image
And some day, I have no doubt
The mentally ill and American dogs
Will have at least equal clout

             by Mary Neal, all rights reserved




                                        




UPDATE:  July 22, 2008

While my family spent the last months trying to help bring light to the many injustices suffered by the least of these, His brethren, we had no idea of how people from around the world were doing what they could to help my family!  Isn't God awesome? 

Take a look at the Care2 Petition below.  It was started in April and posted at the Amnesty International Care2 site.  We always believed the petition had failed to post properly, being  new to Care2 at the time.  Tonight, I found the petition again online, and people from around the world have been registering their support for Larry and his family, calling for a full investigation into his death by the USDOJ!  Petitioners include people from America, Germany, Japan, Australia, India, and other countries.

(This petition is closed for signatures, but petitioners' signatures and comments can be viewed.)    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/380598497 
 
Petition for DOG JUSTICE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL
April 13, 2008 12:54 PM Petition site:  Dog Justice for the Mentally Ill

We thank petitioners for agreeing with my family and members of Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill that America's mentally ill citizens' have the protection of the right to life.  Their secret arrests and deaths while under incarceration are worthy of investigation.

My family and I are so moved by the petitioners'  sympathy and support.  With their outpouring of concern, we just know that although my brother is gone, many other mentally ill citizens may be spared death in prison.  Open and read the signatures on the Care2 petition at this link.  We thank God for the love of justice and the brotherly kindness evident in the comments and signatures on our Petition for Dog Justice for the Mentally Ill.

Much progress is being made in providing care and support for our disabled citizens in America.  I praise God to be involved in this effort.  Kudos to everyone who also labors to bring respect for the humanity and civil rights of these people.  For we realize that the mentally ill citizens in this country are our brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors, military personnel, parents, and fellow human beings whose illness was caused by a physical problem or by the stresses of their lives.


Dog Justice Is Needed for the Mentally Ill.  Thank you for participating in this effort.


                                        



Mary Neal

Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill

Website:  http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com


Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering as if you were suffering with them.  ~ Hebrews 13:3    

                                         





Prisoner Growth Chart
        1980 to 2004

1 in every 134 Americans is
currently doing time, 2/3 are
non-violent offenders, and
more than half are mentally
ill persons.