A Mentally Ill Woman Dies In Police Custody.

1. Every year, about 42.5 million American adults (or 18.2 percent of the total adult population in the United States) suffers from some mental illness, enduring conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. But when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill in this country, there seems to always be some kind of failure when it comes to effective treatment. They're usually prescribed medication that is no more than a temporary fix. It is no more than a chemically induced band aid that is not a cure by any stretch of the imagination. 
   
   
   Unfortunately many in law enforcement are especially inept when it comes to dealng with emotionally disturbed people or EDP's as they are known in the law enforcement community. The training is woefully inadequit and there are little or no safeguards put in place to protect either the mentally disturbed or the police officers who have to deal with them. The major difference is the fact that the mentallt ill are always outnumbered by ignorant police officers who have an arsenal at the finger tips, and an innate fear of the unknown. The result is often tragic.
   
   
   A mentally ill Cleveland woman died in police custody nearly two months ago because she was physically restrained in a prone position, a coroner announced. A heart ailment and bipolar disorder also were found to have contributed to her death, the report says.
   
   
   As a result, the medical examiner in Ohio’s Cuyahoga County, where the city of Cleveland is located, ruled the death of Tanisha Anderson, 37, a homicide. The coroner made a finding of “sudden death associated with physical restraint in a prone position,” while also citing coronary artery disease and Anderson’s bipolar disorder. Indicating that although she had health issues she 
   was murdered.
   
   
   Cleveland police said the death is under investigation and that the two officers involved are on restricted duty. The department is already under heavy scrutiny after the U.S. Department of Justice last month released a report that found excessive use of force and civil rights violations by Cleveland police.
   
   
   Anderson died Nov. 12 at a hospital after she was handcuffed, taken into police custody and then lost consciousness while having a mental-health episode, the report says. Relatives said she was schizophrenic and accused officers of using excessive force against her.
   
   
   In a statement after the coroner’s ruling in Cleveland, Tanisha Anderson’s family demanded “a thorough criminal investigation and an independent prosecutor that results in accountability by the police officers and the Cleveland police department.”

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