|
by Aaron Selter
Has the San Francisco Chronicle become the National Enquirer? In the
Chronicle's initial report on the truck driver who crashed into the state
capitol, its editors chose to publish unconfirmed reports on the front page
concerning a supposed grudge between the driver and Gov. Gray Davis. These
"unconfirmed reports" turned out to be false, yet the Chronicle waited unitl
page four of the next day's edition to correct its statement.
Michael Bowers, the deceased truck driver, had written the governor a
letter in which CHP Commissioner D.O. "Spike" Helmick characterized as
"non-threatening". The subject of the letter, the unacceptable facilities
and treatment Bowers was receiving as a patient in the Atascadero state
mental health hospital, can now be seen as a threat or challenge to correct
a system which was failing and individual. Though, the governor did not
choose to see the issue in this light when he received the letter.
In 1986 Bowers was incarcerated for the first time. Over the next
several years he was sent back to prison for various parole violations. His
family states that over this time Bowers had spent a total of two years in
solitary confinement. When the state corrections department was asked for a
response they stated that they could not verify the claim. Is this becasue
they do not know what is occurring in their prisons? Or are they afraid
that the truth may be detremential to their status quo?
"He used to like to sing, dance, ski," Robin Bowers, the victims sister
said. "When he came out of prison, he wasn't my brother anymore. He was
different."
Bowers was sentenced to six more years of prison in 1991. The first
three years were spent in prison, then Bowers was transferred to Atascadero
state mental health hospital. One state mental health official said that a
transfer such as this indicates that Bowers, "had a severe mental disorder
that was not in remission and represented a substantial danger or physical
harm to others."
Bowers was eventually shipped to another state mental health facitility
where he stayed until an opportunity for parole came up twice. Both times
Bowers refused to sign the parole papers because they incorrectly stated
that he was a heroin addict and required methadone treatments as a condition
for parole. Did the state think the methadone would have cured Bowers
mental health problems even though he was not an addict? Or is the system in
such disarray that they can not process paperwork correctly?
Despite the urging of the prosecutor and psychologists that Bowers was
a danger to society, a jury decided that he no longer posed a threat and
released him in 1999.
Every governmental agency that Bowers encountered failed him.
Beginning with the solitary confinement in prison, to the substandard
treatment in the state mental health facilities, to the media who falsely
characterized him. The combined collapse of the system resulted in the loss
of a citizen. In order to protect itself and deflect criticism the system,
who should be held accountable, placed the blame on the individual.
The popular solution is to build a wall around the capitol, closing it
off from the people it is supposed to serve. Nobody has suggested breaking
down the walls that prevent change in our correctional and mental health
facilities.
"All the people in the world wouldn't have prevented what happened,"
Helmick said.
I disagree. The system could have prevented this tragedy. Many
people, who make up the system, had a chace to help Michael Bowers but they
failed; and now a life is lost.
| 
