Craig Price is a VICTIM !

          The name of Rhode Island serial killer Craig Price must now

    set off mental alarms everywhere in the country. While I hear unctuous

    TV lawyers - discussing the Clinton- Starr affair ( Yes, that is how I

    see it ! ) - babble about the imbecilic letter of the law, right here

    in Rhode Island the " letter of the law " does not seem to apply to

    Craig Price , now 24 years old.

            Who gets an additional 15 years in prison for a scuffle with a

    prison guard - in which racial epithets MAY have been a factor ?

          Who gets a seven year term for THREATENING a guard ?

        Price lawyer sees the ugly shadow of racism here. But I see Price

    not as a victim of racism but as a victim of genuine MENTAL ILLNESS .

           A man is clearly mentally ill ( Craig is stark raving MAD )

    and the state punishes him severely for bad judgment. I read  that

    Craig Price is " guilty of criminal contempt for failing to comply

    with a court ordered psychological examination while he was confined

    to the training school". ( Projo, page B6 , Aug 28 )

           The legal system , it seems, must subscribe to the myth of FREE

    WILL.  You cannot let mentally ill people decide for themselves about

    such consequential things as psychological examinations.

         A friend of mine, lawyer Pete Gallogly ( brother of the radio

    lawyer ) is appalled at the state's ignorance and contempt for

    the imprisoned mentally ill.  I accompanied him on a recent visit to

    the ACI to see a mutual friend - who is often psychotic .

          I also note that the ACI prisoners are using now obsolete

    type writers. They should have computers available to them, similar

    to those in public libraries. Their friend should be able to stay

    in touch with them via E- mail.

          The state MUST protect the public from the likes of Craig Price.

    I understand . But in the past there were mental institutions for

    the criminally insane. But today as one  " politically correct "

    psychiatrist  scolded the editor of the Providence Journal : " There

    are no MENTAL patients in MENTAL institutions."

        And THAT is just the problem !