Comments for

Comment on 6. Competent to Stand Trial? by JenH

JenH — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:00:28 +0000

NAMI publishes a booklet A Guide to Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System . Its pretty good, about maneuvering through the criminal justice system. Also see: Representation for the Mentally Ill ... My son also has legal problems: 8 charges of marijuana paraphernalia. [He is facing real jail time] while sick over nuisance charges. As a mother I can tell you that while I wouldn't want my mentally ill child to burden my other children (doesn't apply to me, son is an only child), it is a beautiful tribute to your mom and brother to be taking the time to do the advocating you are doing for him. It truly is speaking for the confused and the voiceless.

Comment on 3. Not guilty, so now what? by sarah j

sarah j — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:42:19 +0000

I understand the viral analogy…the ‘taking over’ of the body of the loved one. You put it so well. My heart goes out to you both. I am in a similar situation with my brother. The frustration, guilt and anxiety never goes away. Mental illness truly does not afflict only one person but also all those who care about that person. And yet…the very action of you writing, sharing your thoughts and this video clip helps me so much. A small moment of clarity and understanding. Perhaps there is some way I can get through to him. I thank you so much for this.

Comment on 2. My mentally ill brother is scheduled for trial by Dennis Allard

Dennis Allard — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 05:04:41 +0000

He has not seen it to my knowledge. He has been incarcerated for much of the time since it was made and, when in liberty, has been delusional. Currently (July 2010) he is in a hospital and stable but does not wish to talk with me.

Comment on 2. My mentally ill brother is scheduled for trial by Benjamin Weaver

Benjamin Weaver — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:59:42 +0000

You told your brother in the video that you were going to show it to him in a week. Did he, in fact, see it at some later time, possibly in a different state of mind? If so, I’m curious as to what his thoughts were about it.

Comment on Street Accordionist Plays Vivaldi by A Ruslan fan

A Ruslan fan — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:35:28 +0000

Where does Ruslan Slinko play today?
I saw Ruslan ten years ago, at the last week of June in 2000, in Nice, French Riviera. We were there for celebrating my mother’s birthday. We dined almos every night in the Old town. After that we walked through the Flower Market “Cours Saleya” to the sea side. Between Cours Saleya and Quai des Etats-Unis, the sea side boulevard in the front of the Old town, there is a low building you have to pass by a some kind of pedestrian tunnel, or under an arc that goes through this old building..
Ruslan was there almost every night. Playing Vivaldi, Bach and especially “Vocalise” of Sergei Rahmaninoff. I heard that song first time and falled in love with it. If I hear it today I always remember that summer, those warm evenings and the play of Ruslan. There were some alcoholics, “Clochards” in the tunnel who made noise. When Ruslan started to play, one of them asked the others be quiet and they all concentrated to listen the music. Ruslan selled his CDs and I bought a one. So I can enjoy of his music at home. When we returned to Nice two years later he was not there. I wonder how he choosed to play in the street. In the Cd there is a text about him. He was born in 1972 in Zvenigorodka in Ukraine. From 1992 to 1997 he studied in Haupfach Bajan, Bandeon (or in National Music Academie in Kiew, I am not sure, the text is in German). So he is a trained musician.
But where does he play today? If somebody knows please tell!

Comment on Street Accordionist Plays Vivaldi by Paivi

Paivi — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:38:02 +0000

Ruslan Slinko moved me too at the last week of June in 2000 in Nice. We were there for a holiday and we spent also my mother’s 70 years birthday. At the evenings we dined in the old town and after that we walked through the Cours Saleya a flower market, to the Quai des Etats Unis at the sea. Ruslan was there every night, under a little underpass tunnel, playing Sergei Rahmaninoffs Vocalise, a composition I heard first time then and got falling in love with it. When I hear the song today I remember my mother’s birthday, the sun sets at the sea and I got tears in my eyes. There was always some alcoholics,clochards near him but when he started to play they were quiet and concentrated to listen at him. I bought a CD from Ruslan and I can listen him here at home. WE came back to Nice two years later but he was not there any more. Does anybody know where is the metro station he plays nowadays? It would be great to hear him again.

Comment on 2. My mentally ill brother is scheduled for trial by Dennis Allard

Dennis Allard — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:09:33 +0000

Anger Management does not apply in my brother’s case because when he goes off his meds he is not rational and does not think logically or reason about things in a way that leads to dealing with the real issue. This is a disease that affects his ability to think.

Comment on 5. Mentally ill brother thrown back on the street by Rob Petitt

Rob Petitt — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:09:47 +0000

I, too, think of my friend Tony. I check the LASD website frequently in hopes of finding a miracle. The nature of the charges listed against him were not disclosed, but the level of those charges (along with a litany of pending court cases) appeared grave. Felony. The word strikes fear into even the most hardened criminal.

But is Tony a criminal? According to the letter of the law, yes. And that’s bullshit. Tony is a bright man with a kind heart and a future muddled by an illness no one seems to be able or willing to fix.

This morning, I noted that his latest (and final?) case remanded him to a state hospital. Initially I greeted this with horror. But which is worse, years incarcerated in a zoo with violent predatory men along with the sham mental care the jail provides, or a state hospital where he will be force fed medication which has proven to transform him into a functional human being?

I still have mixed emotions about the ruling, but there appears to be light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

Comment on 2. My mentally ill brother is scheduled for trial by Paige Price

Paige Price — Mon, 24 May 2010 06:15:39 +0000

my best friend has been in an Anger Management class for 2 months now, he improved a lot when dealing with anger.;-,

Comment on Street Accordionist Plays Vivaldi by hrysi

hrysi — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:59:36 +0000

he is a great performer with pentup emotion. just great