For Mentally Ill Defendants, Coronavirus Means Few Safe Options [themarshallproject.org]
By Christie Thompson, The Marshall Project, May 15, 2020 Keith had spent over four months in the Hillsboro, Oregon, county jail—charged with robbing a deli with a fake gun—when his delusions returned this February. In a phone call to his father, he rambled about drinking bleach, being exposed to nuclear waste, and fearing going blind. Keith, who is being identified by his first name to protect his privacy, had a history of schizophrenia. Keith’s lawyer told the circuit court that his client...