Say Her Name | Hear Her Story
Wakiesha Wilson was a 26-year-old mother who died in a Los Angeles jail under questionable circumstances on Sunday March 27th, 2016. Her story starts the day before when she admitted herself into a hospital with complaints of chest and back pain. The hospital staff reports aggressive behavior from Wilson and called the cops to intervene. After being arrested she told the LA detention officers of her mental health history with bipolar disorder and that she took medication to manage her symptoms. Wakiesha’s history of bipolar disorder did not include suicidal thoughts or attempts. Wilson started to display behaviors that were aligned with her mental health struggles, detention officer Reaunna Bratton decided to go against the jail’s policy and placed her in an isolation room. Wakisha had a confrontation with an officer around this time. After being placed in isolation, Wakiesha was left unmonitored for a period of time. When Officer Bratton did check on her, Wakiesha was found lying unresponsive on her floor. CPR was not administered until a third officer arrived. She was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead the morning of Easter Sunday.
Wakiesha was scheduled to appear in court that following Tuesday. Her family showed up ready to hear the details of her release in a few days, but court was dismissed when Wakiesha did not show. Her mother questioned this behavior since it was out of character, but she did not receive any answers from officials. The next day, three days after her death, the family was finally notified of Wakiesha’s suicide. The family immediately protested the conditions surrounding Wilson’s death.
The family’s argument included the following
Wakiesha had a 13-year-old son to whom she was dedicated
Though she struggled with mental illness, she had not threatened her own life before
She had plans with her family made for after her release
The LAPD failed to accommodate and ignored her mental illness
There was a coincidental altercation with an officer right before her isolation and death
LAPD chose to settle for $289,000 rather than release details and footage of Wakiesha’s case
Wakiesha’s story became a pillar for the Black Lives Matter movement in LA. Protesters and family members stood outside of police commission meetings and advocated for changes in policy. Her death raised questions surrounding LAPD mental health procedures and communication between coroner officials, police officials, and families. LAPD did make an effort to implement new mental health policies at jails.
Haven’t We Heard This Before?
Stories like Wakiesha’s make me think about Audre Lorde’s The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master’s House and the conversation about what it takes to really make a change. Lorde points out that “advocating the mere tolerance of difference” is not enough to reform such a broken system. In order to truly make a difference, you need to build a community that builds off each other’s differences and strengths. It is something that I wish Wakiesha had in her moment of need. Women who help each other become stronger despite what makes them different, not ignoring the need because of those differences. If the woman officer had this mentality in her workplace, maybe Wakiesha’s story would have ended differently.
A Larger Issue
Mental health is a concern that has not always been addressed in prison systems across the nation. Inmates are constantly being denied access to professional treatment and therapy. A 2018 study found that “in New York’s Riker’s Island, the average stay for all inmates is 42 days; for mentally ill inmates, it is 215 days”. Prison systems lack programs and resources for those who struggle with mental illness and suicide continues to be the leading cause of death in prisons. Supporting organization that advocate for mental health in prisons and better management programs can be a way of helping women like Wakiesha get the help that they need.
Organizations That Advocate for Mental Health in Prisons
Step Up Together
Avid Prison Project
The Center for Prisoner Health & Human Rights
Resources:
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